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Diversifying the Pipeline Into Doctoral Nursing Programs: Developing the Doctoral Advancement Readiness Self-Assessment
DIVERSIFYING THE PIPELINE INTO DOCTORAL NURSING PROGRAMS: DEVELOPING THE DOCTORAL ADVANCEMENT READINESS SELF-ASSESSMENT VERNELL P. DEWITTY, PHD, RN*, PATRICIA A. TABLOSKI, PHD, GNP-BC, FGSA, FAAN†, CATHERINE M. MILLETT, PHD‡, MARION EVAN HAMBRICK, PHD§, MEGAN SHREFFLER, PHD§, CHRISTINE A. DOWNING, MA||, AND CAROLINA G. HUERTA, EDD, RN, FAAN¶ This article presents the development and psychometric analysis of the Doctoral Readiness SelfAssessment for Doctoral Study. This survey was developed as the first step of a Web-based, online mentoring platform for nurses who are considering a doctoral degree program. By identifying and anticipating the predictors and barriers of success in doctoral nursing education, including practical (finances, time, geographical restriction) and personal factors (motivation, attitudes, perceived ability to navigate the application process), students are guided through a self-reflective process to determine readiness. Factor analysis revealed that interest, readiness, and support represent 3 distinct factors that may be used for additional analysis to predict future enrollment in doctoral nursing degree programs. The internal reliability analysis revealed that removing 3 items from the 15-item scale increased Cronbach's alpha from 0.75 to 0.80, and these factors explained 51.25% of variance. The self-assessment results can inform faculty's work as they mentor and guide students through the application, admission, and financial support processes for doctoral study. (Index words: Readiness self-assessment; Doctoral education; Preparedness for graduate school; Self-assessment validity; Graduate school readiness) J Prof Nurs 0:1–8, 2016. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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HE PURPOSE OF the article is to describe the development and examination of the psychometric properties of the Doctoral Readiness Self-Assessment survey, a newly designed instrument to assist prospective doctoral nursing students, contemplate advanced studies, and self-determine readiness. The first phase of doctoral study has been described as the phase leading up to
admission into the program until the period when coursework begins (Gardner, 2009). Through this selfreflective survey, including practical (finances, time, geographical restriction) and personal factors (motivation, attitudes, perceived ability to navigate the application process), potential students identify and anticipate readiness for doctoral nursing education. The theories of
*Program Deputy Director, Robert Wood Johnson New Careers in Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Washington, DC 20036–1120 †Associate Professor, William F Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 ‡Senior Research Scientist, Educational Testing Service, Policy Evaluation and Research Center, Princeton, NJ 08541 §Assistant Professor, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208 ||Research Coordinator, New Careers in Nursing, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Washington, DC 20036
¶Director & Professor, Endowed Chair, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Interim School of Nursing, Lillian O. Slemp, Edinburg, TX 78539 Address correspondence to Dr. DeWitty: Program Deputy Director, Robert Wood Johnson New Careers in Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, One Dupont Circle NW, Ste. 530, Washington, DC 20036–1120. E-mail: [email protected] (V.P. DeWitty), [email protected] (P.A. Tabloski), [email protected] (C.M. Millett), [email protected] (M.E. Hambrick), [email protected] (M. Shreffler), [email protected] (C.A. Downing), [email protected] (C.G. Huerta) 8755-7223
Journal of Professional Nursing, Vol 0, No. 0 (April), 2016: pp 1–8 © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
1 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2016.03.002
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readiness informed the development of the Doctoral Readiness Self-Assessment survey.
Background and Significance A key recommendation from the 2011 Institute of Medicine Report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, was that nurses achieve higher levels of education to respond to demands of the health care system (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Specifically, this report recommended doubling the number of nurses with a doctoral degree by 2020. Despite the slow growth in doctoral nursing programs in the 1980s and 1990s, the number of programs and program graduates increased substantially since the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing was endorsed in 2004. Approximately 55% of the 2.8 million registered nurse (RN) workforce holds a bachelor's or higher degree with 0.4% holding doctorate degrees (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2010). Faculty shortages in nursing schools continue to exist and present a significant barrier to efforts to expand the nursing workforce, while at the same time nurse scientists with research-focused doctoral degrees are needed to advance the discipline and keep pace with expanding knowledge of basic and applied sciences of health care. Compounding this issue is the aging of the RN workforce. It is anticipated that more than one third of the current workforce will retire in the next 10 to 15 years (Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, & National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, 2013). Retirement of large numbers of RNs over the next two decades means a loss of experiential knowledge and leadership. A population of doctorally prepared nurses, early in their careers, will potentially fulfill team leadership roles at clinical sites and educate the future nursing workforce. Scholarship recipients of the Robert Wood Johnson New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) program indicated upon admission to nursing programs that they planned to pursue higher degrees beyond their baccalaureate degrees. This population of newly licensed nurses indicated their intent to earn doctor of nursing practice (DNP) (43%) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) (10.3%) degrees. Because of this expressed interest by NCIN scholars and recognition of the need to increase early career doctoral enrollment, a process was developed to inform, encourage, and facilitate enrollment in doctoral programs in nursing. The Doctoral Advancement in Nursing (DAN) program was initiated as a pilot project in 2013 to address this need for more doctorally prepared early career nurses. Grasso, Barry, and Valentine (2009) identified that for optimal doctoral program completion, the applicants must be realistic about the demands and expectations of doctoral study; many graduate students enter with false expectations concerning the realities of graduate school, and most students never fully assessed their readiness for a doctoral program because they did not think to do so. Lovitts (2001) argued that the discrepancy between
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students' expectations and the reality of graduate school contributed to doctoral noncompletion. These findings informed the work of the advisory group assembled to guide the DAN program. A white paper, Doctoral Advancement in Nursing: A roadmap for facilitating entry into doctoral education (NCIN, 2013), and toolkits were developed. One toolkit to guide faculty, Doctoral Advancement in nursing Faculty Toolkit (Huerta, Murray, Millett, Choi, & DeWitty, 2013), and one to guide students, Doctoral Advancement in Nursing Student Toolkit (Tabloski, Millett, Choi, & DeWitty, 2013), were developed as resources to guide mentoring relationships focused on supporting doctorally interested students from the application process through admission.
Literature Review A search of the literature did not reveal a conceptual framework that focused on student readiness for graduate-level studies. However, readiness theory provides context for a discussion of student readiness for undergraduate studies but may also apply to graduatelevel studies.
Readiness Theory Conley (2007) described college readiness as “the level of preparation a student needs in order to enroll and succeed—without remediation—in a credit-bearing general education course at a postsecondary institution that offers a baccalaureate degree or transfer to a baccalaureate program” (p. 5). While Conley focused on college readiness, the key components of the theory may readily apply to graduate studies as well. The four elements of readiness include the following: • key cognitive strategies (i.e., intellectual openness, inquisitiveness, analysis, reasoning, interpretation, precision, problem solving) • academic knowledge and skills (i.e., research, writing, knowledge of core educational areas) • academic behaviors (i.e., self-awareness, self-monitoring, self-control), and • contextual skills and awareness (i.e., an understanding of the college educational system, human relations skills, coping skills). These elements are not static or mutually exclusive; rather, they influence each other and are honed over time. The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education was designed specifically for nursing educators in Australia to help them measure the readiness of students for self-learning (Fisher, King, & Tague, 2001). This 40-item instrument with three scales, self-management, desire for learning, and self-control, was validated as a reliable tool to assist nurse educators in the diagnosis of student learning needs. Researchers suggest that having realistic knowledge about graduate study prior to beginning a doctoral study is one characteristic that differentiates completers and noncompleters (Lovitts, 2001). Byrd and MacDonald (2005) interviewed eight
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first-generation junior or senior university students over the age of 25 years, who had earned an associate's degree from a community college. These study participants identified academic skills (particularly reading and writing), time management skills, goal orientation, and self-advocacy as critical skills for college readiness. They also identified family support, work experiences, career motivations, and financial concerns as important.
Interest Kovner, Brewer, Katigbak, Djukic, and Fatehi (2012) analyzed the career trajectories of newly licensed RNs in order to identify factors that predict graduate nursing program enrollment and degree attainment. One thousand six hundred forty-eight replied to all three surveys used in the study and were included in a logistic regression analysis to determine which personal characteristics, work attributes, and attitudes predicted the likelihood of enrollment in or completion of a higher degree. Nurses with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree were more likely to complete or be enrolled in a nursing master's-degree program if they lived in a nonrural area, worked on the day shift, voluntarily worked more overtime, and reported more variety in their jobs. Predictors of obtaining a master's degree or higher included being African American, having previous non-health care work experience, holding more than one paid job, having a higher total yearly income, having lower intent to stay at the current job, and having more variety in the current job. Responders also reported several barriers to higher degree attainment, including cost, family responsibilities, and lack of time; the researchers noted that developing accelerated programs that require a shorter completion time may help address these barriers. The researchers also noted that while African American RNs are more likely to return to school than nurses from other racial groups, “Hispanic RNs continue to be underrepresented among RNs with advanced degrees” (Kovner et al., 2012, p. 341). Similarly, Cathro (2011) identified interest in the nursing profession and a desire to advance one's education among the driving forces to pursuing graduate studies. Nehls and Rice (2014) used a qualitative descriptive approach to analyze the experiences of 29 nursing undergraduates at a midwestern university who were admitted to an early entry nursing PhD program over a 10-year period (2002–2011). They reported that participants' decision to enter a PhD program immediately after obtaining a bachelor's degree was related to their successful involvement in research activities and/or their identification by a faculty member as a good candidate for a PhD program. The main facilitator mentioned was the availability of financial support for doctoral study, while the main challenge cited was a concern regarding the relative lack of clinical experience. The researchers recommended that nursing leaders highlight the option to pursue a PhD in nursing, provide undergraduates with opportunities to participate in research, encourage promising students to pursue a doctoral degree, seek ways to increase funding
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support, and develop strategies to meet students' desire for more clinical experience.
Support In their descriptive study of NCIN alumni, Millett, Stickler, and Wang (2015) surveyed alumni to ask how likely they would be to use services and supports to pursue graduate study. They reported that alumni were interested in accessing services to help them learn about financing a graduate degree (81%), receiving admissions essay advice or critique (73%), selecting a nursing graduate program (68%), and navigating the graduate school application process (63%). Snyder and Bunkers (1994) examined facilitators and barriers to admission and completion of a master's of nursing program as perceived by minority students at a large midwestern university. Major factors cited by students as influencing failure or success included personal issues, undergraduate education, support systems/employment, and graduate faculty. In addition, these researchers reported that students perceived that faculty bias against minority students, particularly in assessing written assignments and judging clinical performance, hindered successful program completion. In a study of 644 psychology graduate students, from 20 U.S. academic institutions, Huss, Randall, Davis, and Hansen (2002) identified factors influencing their perceived preparedness for graduate school and found that interaction with undergraduate faculty, participation in research activities, and income were the strongest factors that influenced students' perceptions of preparedness. Traditional admissions requirements such as grade point average, graduate record examination scores, and faculty letters of recommendation did not have a direct effect on perceived preparedness. Jones (2009) outlined a number of strategies that can help support academic success for African American graduate nursing students. Strategies for selecting and gaining admission to a graduate nursing program include (a) setting realistic goals and expectations; (b) understanding the time and discipline involved; (c) obtaining guidance in program selection; (d) creating a high-quality application, including excellent letters of recommendation, an effective personal statement, and a description of research interests; (e) achieving high scores on the graduate record examination through adequate preparation and practice; (f) preparing for the admissions interview in order to make a good impression and engage in a two-way dialog; and (g) identifying sources of financial support. Strategies for academic success in a graduate nursing program include (a) prioritizing assignments and meeting deadlines, (b) selecting an appropriate faculty advisor, (c) selecting appropriate members of the dissertation committee, and (d) and building a strong personal support network. Lunceford (2011) noted that graduate school is a difficult experience that is often compounded when the student comes from a family uninformed concerning the intricacies of graduate school and stated, “First-generation
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graduate students may not know where to get the information that will help them succeed” (p. 19). He emphasized the importance of developing relationships with undergraduate faculty members who can serve as mentors to help first-generation students transition to graduate school. Lunsford (2007) reported that psychosocial support (rapport), which includes listening, building confidence, support, career support (apprenticeship), and professional advice regarding career support, has greatest positive effect on student productivity.
Educational Testing Services. Participation was voluntary, and participants were informed that survey responses would be confidential and data reported only in aggregate. Completion of the survey implied consent. Data were collected on-line using SurveyMonkey®, and participants were free to exit out of the survey at any point. Evidence supports the belief that faculty from NCIN-funded schools have utilized this survey with nursing students.
Method
An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to examine the survey instrument items and whether the 15 items could be combined into a more parsimonious set of factors. Cronbach's alpha values were used to determine internal consistency. Correlations between the factors were also computed.
The purpose of this study was to examine a survey instrument used to assess interest in pursuing an advanced nursing degree. The instrument contained two primary questions. The first question stated, “There are a lot of reasons why people consider advanced degrees in nursing. Please rate your level of agreement with each of the following statements,” and asked survey participants to respond to nine statements such as “I want to advance my career. An advanced degree will open doors for me.” The second question asked, “Is it the right time for me to think about an advanced degree in nursing,” and participants responded to six statements such as “I’m financially ready and have the means of support from savings, family, my employer, or place where I hope to study.” Participants addressed each item using a 4-point response scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree. Six items addressed interest and support; additional items assessed the best time to pursue study; the ideal learning location and modality (i.e., on-line; face-to-face, geographic preferences), available social and financial support; and four questions guided respondents through two scenarios to illustrate role performance and knowledge development associated with a research-based (PhD) versus a practice-focused (DNP) degree. The survey contained additional demographic items for age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, and degree completion. The instrument was pilot tested with a sample of 196 NCIN Scholars over 8 months who were invited to complete the self-assessment. Internal reliability analysis revealed that the instrument formed a reasonably reliable composite (α = 0.77). With these findings, a link to the survey was launched and placed on the DAN mentoring Web-site, allowing students to return to the survey at a later date, if they chose to do so. Initial inclusion criteria for this study were licensure as an RN and being an NCIN scholar. Twenty-one waves of invitations were distributed to 425 scholars as scholars completed their programs and received licensure. Over the course of our work, we learned that some individuals may be finding the survey through the Internet. When the search term Readiness self-assessment is entered in both Google and Bing search, the survey appears on the first page. It may be inferred that other participants located the survey in this manner. Therefore, we cannot report a true survey response rate because the survey was open access and the demographics items were optional. Approval for the survey was obtained through Internal Review Committee at
Data Analysis
Results Most items had high item response rates; however, demographic items had lower response rates resulting in incomplete demographic information. The self-reported age of 465 participants who provided this information ranged from 21 to 62 years with a median age of 36 years. Eighty-six (17%) of the 502 participants who selfreported gender information were male, and 416 (83%) were female. Additional demographic information is provided in Table 1.
Factor Analysis Data were examined for completeness of participant responses and revealed consistent responses to the 15 readiness assessment items; therefore, all cases were retained for subsequent analysis.
Table 1. Demographic Characteristics Variable Age (years) 21–30 31–39 40–49 50–59 60 and over Gender Female Male Racial/Ethnic status White/Caucasian Black/African American Hispanic–Latina Native American/Alaskan Native Marital status Married Widowed/Divorced Never married Highest nursing degree BSN MSN
N
%
178 107 108 58 12
38% 23% 23% 13% 3%
406 85
83% 17%
264 94 33 5
67% 24% 8% 1%
259 52 174
53% 11% 36%
263 182
59% 41%
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Table 2. Component Matrix of Survey Question #1: Reasons to Pursue an Advanced Degree Factor matrix Participants addressed each item using a 4-point response scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree I1. I have a burning desire to help others, solve important problems, and do something fantastic with my life. I2. I want to advance my career. An advanced degree will open doors for me. I3. An advanced degree will give me the confidence I need to accomplish my life's goals. I4. I want to have more clout when I voice my opinion. I5. I'm curious and I want to learn more to be able to answer the questions in nursing that I would like to ask. I6. I would like to gain advanced education in theory, statistics, research methods, or care of patients. I7. I want to change my career. I have a desire to work in a different setting, but I find I don't have the right background and credentials. S1. My family/friends have strongly encouraged me to go back to school. I hear what they're saying, but I'm not sure if I'm totally on board with their thinking. S2. My employer has strongly encouraged me to go back to school. I hear what they're saying, but I'm not sure if I'm totally on board with their thinking.
Factor loadings Interest
Support
0.749 0.718 0.711 0.616 0.599 0.585 0.278 0.857 0.786
Note: Factor loadings less than |0.25| were removed from the table.
The maximum readiness assessment score for the 15 items equaled 60. The mean readiness score for this study's sample was 40.38 (SD = 8.92). The means and standard deviations of the 15 items were quantified and examined. For the items related to pursuing an advanced degree, the means ranged from 3.70 (SD = .566) to 2.08 (SD = .877). The items related to considering an advanced degree had means ranging from 3.07 (SD = .793) to 2.31 (SD = .876). An EFA of nine items assessing reasons to pursue an advanced nursing degree was conducted using a principal axis factor (PAF) extraction and a direct Oblimin rotation. The analysis revealed two factors. The first factor, interest, had an eigenvalue equal to 2.80 and explained 31.08% of the variance. The second factor, support, had an eigenvalue equal to 1.36 and explained 15.06% of the variance. The two combined to explain 46.14% of the variance. Results of the internal reliability analysis suggested that the interest items comprised an acceptable and reasonably reliable composite (α = .786). The item, “I want to change my career” had the lowest factor loading with .278. Analysis revealed that removing this item would increase Cronbach's alpha to .814. Support Items #1 and #2 correlated (r = 0.67), indicating that they were strong enough to form a composite (DeVellis, 2003). Conducting an internal reliability analysis of these two support items revealed an acceptable and reasonably reliable composite (α = .799) (see Table 2). An EFA of five items used to assess reasons for considering an advanced nursing degree was conducted, and a PAF extraction and direct Oblimin rotation were again used. The analysis indicated one factor with an eigenvalue equal to 2.43 and explaining 40.53% of the variance. The six items loaded onto one factor, which was labeled readiness; analysis revealed that the readiness items comprised an acceptable and reasonably reliable composite (α = .755).
Readiness Item #6 had a negative factor loading and was reverse scored prior to the internal reliability analysis. Results of this analysis revealed that the readiness items comprised an acceptable and reasonably reliable factor (α = 0.76). The internal reliability analysis revealed that removing readiness Item #6 (factor loading = − 0.329) would increase Cronbach's alpha to 0.78. Removing readiness Item #5 (factor loading = 0.367) would increase Cronbach's alpha to 0.77. These items had relatively low item-total correlations (r = 0.31 and 0.27, respectively). Removing both items increased Cronbach's alpha to 0.80 and resulted in a readiness scale of four items (see Table 3). After removing three items, a third and final factor analysis was conducted using 12 items: six interest items, two support items, and four readiness items to determine whether the three factors identified previously represented unique factors (see Table 4). When all final items were subjected to an EFA (PAF, Oblimin rotation), the three scales formed three independent factors (eigenvalues = 3.40, 1.55, 1.23 for interest, readiness, and support, respectively) and explained 51.25% of variance. Correlations computed for the three factors revealed a statistically significant relationship between interest and readiness, where r = .300 (P b .01); the relationship between readiness and support was not statistically significant, where r = − .022 (P = .474) (see Table 5).
Discussion This examination of the psychometric properties of the Doctoral Readiness Self-Assessment revealed that the original 15 items used in two survey questions (reasons to pursue an advanced degree and reasons for considering an advanced degree) could be reduced to 12 items representing three factors: interest in an advanced degree (interest), readiness to pursue an advanced degree
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Table 3. Factor Matrix of Survey Question #5: Reasons to Consider an Advanced Degree Factor matrix Factor loadings
Participants addressed each item using a 4-point response scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree. R1. I'm emotionally ready to return to academics. R2. I'm at a point in my life where I can devote time and energy to this effort. R3. I am familiar with the application process and feel ready to submit a graduate school application. R4. I'm financially ready and have the means of support from savings, family, my employer or the place where I hope to study. R5. It's now or never. I'm afraid if I don't do it now, I never will. R6. I'm not sure. I need more information to answer this question.
Readiness 0.840 0.839 0.694 0.545 0.367 − 0.329
Note: Factor loadings less than |0.25| were removed from the table.
(readiness), and support for pursuing an advanced degree (support). The interest items could help respondents gauge their desire to pursue an advanced degree and to help identify some of the benefits they might receive from this endeavor. The readiness items could help respondents determine whether they have what they need (e.g., understanding of the application process, financial wherewithal) to pursue an advanced degree. Finally, the support items could help respondents assess the level of potential backing received from important reference groups such as family members and employers. This finding would suggest that respondents who have a requisite level of interest in pursuing an advanced degree also have indicated a certain level of readiness to pursue it. In addition, individuals that have a certain level of interest also feel that they have sufficient levels of support from family members and employers to engage in
this academic pursuit. Interestingly, a negative, albeit not statistically significant, relationship exists between readiness and support, which indicates that while respondents might be personally ready to pursue a degree, they may not have support from others. The presence or absence of support influences interest, which then indirectly influences readiness. While support has been identified as important for doctoral success, it does significantly influence perceived readiness. Evidence of validity and reliability of this survey instrument would suggest that interest, readiness, and support represent three distinct factors that may be used for additional analysis to predict future enrollment in doctoral nursing degree programs.
Recommendations and Conclusions The psychometric properties of the DAN Readiness Self-Assessment for Doctoral Study were determined
Table 4. Component Matrix of Survey Items #1 and #5 Factor matrix Participants addressed each item using a 4-point response scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree I1. I have a burning desire to help others, solve important problems, and do something fantastic with my life. I2. I want to advance my career. An advanced degree will open doors for me. I3. An advanced degree will give me the confidence I need to accomplish my life's goals. I4. I want to have more clout when I voice my opinion. I5. I'm curious and I want to learn more to be able to answer the questions in nursing that I would like to ask. I6. I would like to gain advanced education in theory, statistics, research methods, or care of patients. R1. I'm emotionally ready to return to academics. R2. I'm at a point in my life where I can devote time and energy to this effort. R3. I am familiar with the application process and feel ready to submit a graduate school application. R4. I'm financially ready and have the means of support from savings, family, my employer or the place where I hope to study. S1. My family/friends have strongly encouraged me to go back to school. I hear what they're saying, but I'm not sure if I'm totally on board with their thinking. S2. My employer has strongly encouraged me to go back to school. I hear what they're saying, but I'm not sure if I'm totally on board with their thinking.
Factor loadings Interest Readiness Support 0.746 0.716 0.702 0.616 0.553 0.551 − 0.800 − 0.793 − 0.683 − 0.594 0.843 0.795
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Table 5. Correlations for the Three Factor Composites. Interest Readiness Support
r P r P
.280 ⁎ .000 .209 ⁎ .000
Readiness
− 0.022 .474
⁎ Correlation is statistically significant at the .01 level.
using a sample of accelerated second-degree nursing students who received an NCIN scholarship. Efforts to continue the baseline work presented in the study should include several next steps. One next step would be to replicate the survey with graduates from traditional-paced nursing programs in order to determine if the properties still hold. Another next step would be to replicate the survey with graduates from programs other than nursing. Over the course of our work, we learned that some individuals may be finding the survey through the Internet. This survey is readily available on-line to nurse educators and potential doctoral students at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ DoctoralReadinessAssessmentDANStudentAssessment. Another recommendation is to conduct a study to learn about the longer-term impact of taking the survey and preparing for doctoral study. A recommendation would be to encourage students to complete the survey in preparation for doctoral study and follow up with the results. In addition, examine if the components predict application and enrollment in graduate school. The intent of these next steps is to facilitate students moving from being interested in pursuing doctoral education to actually earning their DNP or PhD in nursing. Learning more about the elements that lead them to take action may help to increase the number of individuals who pursue doctoral education and expand the demographic representation of the individuals who engage in doctoral education. In addition to nursing schools providing adequate information about the doctoral program, prospective students should also be encouraged to make realistic assessments about themselves based on the information they received from prospective doctoral programs. In particular, applicants must examine whether they have enough personal resources—both financial and other support—to successfully engage in their doctoral study. Applicants should also be encouraged to assess whether they believe they possess the necessary skills and knowledge that are necessary for their doctoral program. We are encouraged that potential doctoral students in other fields of study are finding and taking the Doctoral Readiness Self-Assessment. This interest on the part of prospective doctoral students in other fields is evidence of the interest in doctoral study and students' desire to learn more about their level of readiness. One limitation of factor analysis is that it is exploratory in nature and cannot be used for inferential purposes. Even with large samples, it is an error-prone procedure (Costello & Osborne, 2005). Future research
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should employ EFA replication because it will indicate the likelihood that the models will generalize to the next dataset, while also identifying volatile or problematic items (Osborne & Fitzpatrick, 2012). Once EFA replication has occurred, a confirmatory factor analysis can be used to confirm the use of the scale by others.
Acknowledgments Support for this research was provided by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Lunsford, L. (2007). Doctoral advisors and their protégés. Available at, www.grad.uga.edu/cgs. Lunceford, B. (2011). When first-generation students go to graduate school. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 127, 13–20. Millett, C. M., Stickler, L. M. & Wang, H. (2015). New careers in nursing scholar alumni: Options in the early career years (ETS Research Report No. RR-15-28). Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service. Available at, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ets2.12069. Nehls, N. & Rice, E. (2014). Early entry to a doctoral degree in nursing program: Analysis of student experiences. Journal of Nursing Education, 53, 223–228. New Careers in Nursing (2013). Doctoral advancement in nursing: A roadmap for facilitating entry into doctoral education. Washington,
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D.C. Retrieved from:, http://www.newcareersinnursing.org/ resources/dan-white-paper. Osborne, J. W. & Fitzpatrick, D. C. (2012). Replication analysis in exploratory factor analysis: What it is and why it makes your analysis better. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation, 17, 1–8. Snyder, D. J. & Bunkers, S. J. (1994). Facilitators and barriers for minority students in master's nursing programs. Journal of Professional Nursing, 10, 140–146. Tabloski, P., Millett, C., Choi, B. & DeWitty, V. (2013). Doctoral advancement in nursing student toolkit. Washington, D.C.: New Careers in Nursing. Retrieved from:, http://www. newcareersinnursing.org/resources/dan-student-toolkit.
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HE PURPOSE OF the article is to describe the development and examination of the psychometric properties of the Doctoral Readiness Self-Assessment survey, a newly designed instrument to assist prospective doctoral nursing students, contemplate advanced studies, and self-determine readiness. The first phase of doctoral study has been described as the phase leading up to
admission into the program until the period when coursework begins (Gardner, 2009). Through this selfreflective survey, including practical (finances, time, geographical restriction) and personal factors (motivation, attitudes, perceived ability to navigate the application process), potential students identify and anticipate readiness for doctoral nursing education. The theories of
*Program Deputy Director, Robert Wood Johnson New Careers in Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Washington, DC 20036–1120 †Associate Professor, William F Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 ‡Senior Research Scientist, Educational Testing Service, Policy Evaluation and Research Center, Princeton, NJ 08541 §Assistant Professor, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208 ||Research Coordinator, New Careers in Nursing, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Washington, DC 20036
¶Director & Professor, Endowed Chair, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Interim School of Nursing, Lillian O. Slemp, Edinburg, TX 78539 Address correspondence to Dr. DeWitty: Program Deputy Director, Robert Wood Johnson New Careers in Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, One Dupont Circle NW, Ste. 530, Washington, DC 20036–1120. E-mail: [email protected] (V.P. DeWitty), [email protected] (P.A. Tabloski), [email protected] (C.M. Millett), [email protected] (M.E. Hambrick), [email protected] (M. Shreffler), [email protected] (C.A. Downing), [email protected] (C.G. Huerta) 8755-7223
Journal of Professional Nursing, Vol 0, No. 0 (April), 2016: pp 1–8 © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
1 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2016.03.002
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readiness informed the development of the Doctoral Readiness Self-Assessment survey.
Background and Significance A key recommendation from the 2011 Institute of Medicine Report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, was that nurses achieve higher levels of education to respond to demands of the health care system (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Specifically, this report recommended doubling the number of nurses with a doctoral degree by 2020. Despite the slow growth in doctoral nursing programs in the 1980s and 1990s, the number of programs and program graduates increased substantially since the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing was endorsed in 2004. Approximately 55% of the 2.8 million registered nurse (RN) workforce holds a bachelor's or higher degree with 0.4% holding doctorate degrees (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2010). Faculty shortages in nursing schools continue to exist and present a significant barrier to efforts to expand the nursing workforce, while at the same time nurse scientists with research-focused doctoral degrees are needed to advance the discipline and keep pace with expanding knowledge of basic and applied sciences of health care. Compounding this issue is the aging of the RN workforce. It is anticipated that more than one third of the current workforce will retire in the next 10 to 15 years (Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, & National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, 2013). Retirement of large numbers of RNs over the next two decades means a loss of experiential knowledge and leadership. A population of doctorally prepared nurses, early in their careers, will potentially fulfill team leadership roles at clinical sites and educate the future nursing workforce. Scholarship recipients of the Robert Wood Johnson New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) program indicated upon admission to nursing programs that they planned to pursue higher degrees beyond their baccalaureate degrees. This population of newly licensed nurses indicated their intent to earn doctor of nursing practice (DNP) (43%) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) (10.3%) degrees. Because of this expressed interest by NCIN scholars and recognition of the need to increase early career doctoral enrollment, a process was developed to inform, encourage, and facilitate enrollment in doctoral programs in nursing. The Doctoral Advancement in Nursing (DAN) program was initiated as a pilot project in 2013 to address this need for more doctorally prepared early career nurses. Grasso, Barry, and Valentine (2009) identified that for optimal doctoral program completion, the applicants must be realistic about the demands and expectations of doctoral study; many graduate students enter with false expectations concerning the realities of graduate school, and most students never fully assessed their readiness for a doctoral program because they did not think to do so. Lovitts (2001) argued that the discrepancy between
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students' expectations and the reality of graduate school contributed to doctoral noncompletion. These findings informed the work of the advisory group assembled to guide the DAN program. A white paper, Doctoral Advancement in Nursing: A roadmap for facilitating entry into doctoral education (NCIN, 2013), and toolkits were developed. One toolkit to guide faculty, Doctoral Advancement in nursing Faculty Toolkit (Huerta, Murray, Millett, Choi, & DeWitty, 2013), and one to guide students, Doctoral Advancement in Nursing Student Toolkit (Tabloski, Millett, Choi, & DeWitty, 2013), were developed as resources to guide mentoring relationships focused on supporting doctorally interested students from the application process through admission.
Literature Review A search of the literature did not reveal a conceptual framework that focused on student readiness for graduate-level studies. However, readiness theory provides context for a discussion of student readiness for undergraduate studies but may also apply to graduatelevel studies.
Readiness Theory Conley (2007) described college readiness as “the level of preparation a student needs in order to enroll and succeed—without remediation—in a credit-bearing general education course at a postsecondary institution that offers a baccalaureate degree or transfer to a baccalaureate program” (p. 5). While Conley focused on college readiness, the key components of the theory may readily apply to graduate studies as well. The four elements of readiness include the following: • key cognitive strategies (i.e., intellectual openness, inquisitiveness, analysis, reasoning, interpretation, precision, problem solving) • academic knowledge and skills (i.e., research, writing, knowledge of core educational areas) • academic behaviors (i.e., self-awareness, self-monitoring, self-control), and • contextual skills and awareness (i.e., an understanding of the college educational system, human relations skills, coping skills). These elements are not static or mutually exclusive; rather, they influence each other and are honed over time. The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education was designed specifically for nursing educators in Australia to help them measure the readiness of students for self-learning (Fisher, King, & Tague, 2001). This 40-item instrument with three scales, self-management, desire for learning, and self-control, was validated as a reliable tool to assist nurse educators in the diagnosis of student learning needs. Researchers suggest that having realistic knowledge about graduate study prior to beginning a doctoral study is one characteristic that differentiates completers and noncompleters (Lovitts, 2001). Byrd and MacDonald (2005) interviewed eight
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first-generation junior or senior university students over the age of 25 years, who had earned an associate's degree from a community college. These study participants identified academic skills (particularly reading and writing), time management skills, goal orientation, and self-advocacy as critical skills for college readiness. They also identified family support, work experiences, career motivations, and financial concerns as important.
Interest Kovner, Brewer, Katigbak, Djukic, and Fatehi (2012) analyzed the career trajectories of newly licensed RNs in order to identify factors that predict graduate nursing program enrollment and degree attainment. One thousand six hundred forty-eight replied to all three surveys used in the study and were included in a logistic regression analysis to determine which personal characteristics, work attributes, and attitudes predicted the likelihood of enrollment in or completion of a higher degree. Nurses with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree were more likely to complete or be enrolled in a nursing master's-degree program if they lived in a nonrural area, worked on the day shift, voluntarily worked more overtime, and reported more variety in their jobs. Predictors of obtaining a master's degree or higher included being African American, having previous non-health care work experience, holding more than one paid job, having a higher total yearly income, having lower intent to stay at the current job, and having more variety in the current job. Responders also reported several barriers to higher degree attainment, including cost, family responsibilities, and lack of time; the researchers noted that developing accelerated programs that require a shorter completion time may help address these barriers. The researchers also noted that while African American RNs are more likely to return to school than nurses from other racial groups, “Hispanic RNs continue to be underrepresented among RNs with advanced degrees” (Kovner et al., 2012, p. 341). Similarly, Cathro (2011) identified interest in the nursing profession and a desire to advance one's education among the driving forces to pursuing graduate studies. Nehls and Rice (2014) used a qualitative descriptive approach to analyze the experiences of 29 nursing undergraduates at a midwestern university who were admitted to an early entry nursing PhD program over a 10-year period (2002–2011). They reported that participants' decision to enter a PhD program immediately after obtaining a bachelor's degree was related to their successful involvement in research activities and/or their identification by a faculty member as a good candidate for a PhD program. The main facilitator mentioned was the availability of financial support for doctoral study, while the main challenge cited was a concern regarding the relative lack of clinical experience. The researchers recommended that nursing leaders highlight the option to pursue a PhD in nursing, provide undergraduates with opportunities to participate in research, encourage promising students to pursue a doctoral degree, seek ways to increase funding
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support, and develop strategies to meet students' desire for more clinical experience.
Support In their descriptive study of NCIN alumni, Millett, Stickler, and Wang (2015) surveyed alumni to ask how likely they would be to use services and supports to pursue graduate study. They reported that alumni were interested in accessing services to help them learn about financing a graduate degree (81%), receiving admissions essay advice or critique (73%), selecting a nursing graduate program (68%), and navigating the graduate school application process (63%). Snyder and Bunkers (1994) examined facilitators and barriers to admission and completion of a master's of nursing program as perceived by minority students at a large midwestern university. Major factors cited by students as influencing failure or success included personal issues, undergraduate education, support systems/employment, and graduate faculty. In addition, these researchers reported that students perceived that faculty bias against minority students, particularly in assessing written assignments and judging clinical performance, hindered successful program completion. In a study of 644 psychology graduate students, from 20 U.S. academic institutions, Huss, Randall, Davis, and Hansen (2002) identified factors influencing their perceived preparedness for graduate school and found that interaction with undergraduate faculty, participation in research activities, and income were the strongest factors that influenced students' perceptions of preparedness. Traditional admissions requirements such as grade point average, graduate record examination scores, and faculty letters of recommendation did not have a direct effect on perceived preparedness. Jones (2009) outlined a number of strategies that can help support academic success for African American graduate nursing students. Strategies for selecting and gaining admission to a graduate nursing program include (a) setting realistic goals and expectations; (b) understanding the time and discipline involved; (c) obtaining guidance in program selection; (d) creating a high-quality application, including excellent letters of recommendation, an effective personal statement, and a description of research interests; (e) achieving high scores on the graduate record examination through adequate preparation and practice; (f) preparing for the admissions interview in order to make a good impression and engage in a two-way dialog; and (g) identifying sources of financial support. Strategies for academic success in a graduate nursing program include (a) prioritizing assignments and meeting deadlines, (b) selecting an appropriate faculty advisor, (c) selecting appropriate members of the dissertation committee, and (d) and building a strong personal support network. Lunceford (2011) noted that graduate school is a difficult experience that is often compounded when the student comes from a family uninformed concerning the intricacies of graduate school and stated, “First-generation
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graduate students may not know where to get the information that will help them succeed” (p. 19). He emphasized the importance of developing relationships with undergraduate faculty members who can serve as mentors to help first-generation students transition to graduate school. Lunsford (2007) reported that psychosocial support (rapport), which includes listening, building confidence, support, career support (apprenticeship), and professional advice regarding career support, has greatest positive effect on student productivity.
Educational Testing Services. Participation was voluntary, and participants were informed that survey responses would be confidential and data reported only in aggregate. Completion of the survey implied consent. Data were collected on-line using SurveyMonkey®, and participants were free to exit out of the survey at any point. Evidence supports the belief that faculty from NCIN-funded schools have utilized this survey with nursing students.
Method
An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to examine the survey instrument items and whether the 15 items could be combined into a more parsimonious set of factors. Cronbach's alpha values were used to determine internal consistency. Correlations between the factors were also computed.
The purpose of this study was to examine a survey instrument used to assess interest in pursuing an advanced nursing degree. The instrument contained two primary questions. The first question stated, “There are a lot of reasons why people consider advanced degrees in nursing. Please rate your level of agreement with each of the following statements,” and asked survey participants to respond to nine statements such as “I want to advance my career. An advanced degree will open doors for me.” The second question asked, “Is it the right time for me to think about an advanced degree in nursing,” and participants responded to six statements such as “I’m financially ready and have the means of support from savings, family, my employer, or place where I hope to study.” Participants addressed each item using a 4-point response scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree. Six items addressed interest and support; additional items assessed the best time to pursue study; the ideal learning location and modality (i.e., on-line; face-to-face, geographic preferences), available social and financial support; and four questions guided respondents through two scenarios to illustrate role performance and knowledge development associated with a research-based (PhD) versus a practice-focused (DNP) degree. The survey contained additional demographic items for age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, and degree completion. The instrument was pilot tested with a sample of 196 NCIN Scholars over 8 months who were invited to complete the self-assessment. Internal reliability analysis revealed that the instrument formed a reasonably reliable composite (α = 0.77). With these findings, a link to the survey was launched and placed on the DAN mentoring Web-site, allowing students to return to the survey at a later date, if they chose to do so. Initial inclusion criteria for this study were licensure as an RN and being an NCIN scholar. Twenty-one waves of invitations were distributed to 425 scholars as scholars completed their programs and received licensure. Over the course of our work, we learned that some individuals may be finding the survey through the Internet. When the search term Readiness self-assessment is entered in both Google and Bing search, the survey appears on the first page. It may be inferred that other participants located the survey in this manner. Therefore, we cannot report a true survey response rate because the survey was open access and the demographics items were optional. Approval for the survey was obtained through Internal Review Committee at
Data Analysis
Results Most items had high item response rates; however, demographic items had lower response rates resulting in incomplete demographic information. The self-reported age of 465 participants who provided this information ranged from 21 to 62 years with a median age of 36 years. Eighty-six (17%) of the 502 participants who selfreported gender information were male, and 416 (83%) were female. Additional demographic information is provided in Table 1.
Factor Analysis Data were examined for completeness of participant responses and revealed consistent responses to the 15 readiness assessment items; therefore, all cases were retained for subsequent analysis.
Table 1. Demographic Characteristics Variable Age (years) 21–30 31–39 40–49 50–59 60 and over Gender Female Male Racial/Ethnic status White/Caucasian Black/African American Hispanic–Latina Native American/Alaskan Native Marital status Married Widowed/Divorced Never married Highest nursing degree BSN MSN
N
%
178 107 108 58 12
38% 23% 23% 13% 3%
406 85
83% 17%
264 94 33 5
67% 24% 8% 1%
259 52 174
53% 11% 36%
263 182
59% 41%
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Table 2. Component Matrix of Survey Question #1: Reasons to Pursue an Advanced Degree Factor matrix Participants addressed each item using a 4-point response scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree I1. I have a burning desire to help others, solve important problems, and do something fantastic with my life. I2. I want to advance my career. An advanced degree will open doors for me. I3. An advanced degree will give me the confidence I need to accomplish my life's goals. I4. I want to have more clout when I voice my opinion. I5. I'm curious and I want to learn more to be able to answer the questions in nursing that I would like to ask. I6. I would like to gain advanced education in theory, statistics, research methods, or care of patients. I7. I want to change my career. I have a desire to work in a different setting, but I find I don't have the right background and credentials. S1. My family/friends have strongly encouraged me to go back to school. I hear what they're saying, but I'm not sure if I'm totally on board with their thinking. S2. My employer has strongly encouraged me to go back to school. I hear what they're saying, but I'm not sure if I'm totally on board with their thinking.
Factor loadings Interest
Support
0.749 0.718 0.711 0.616 0.599 0.585 0.278 0.857 0.786
Note: Factor loadings less than |0.25| were removed from the table.
The maximum readiness assessment score for the 15 items equaled 60. The mean readiness score for this study's sample was 40.38 (SD = 8.92). The means and standard deviations of the 15 items were quantified and examined. For the items related to pursuing an advanced degree, the means ranged from 3.70 (SD = .566) to 2.08 (SD = .877). The items related to considering an advanced degree had means ranging from 3.07 (SD = .793) to 2.31 (SD = .876). An EFA of nine items assessing reasons to pursue an advanced nursing degree was conducted using a principal axis factor (PAF) extraction and a direct Oblimin rotation. The analysis revealed two factors. The first factor, interest, had an eigenvalue equal to 2.80 and explained 31.08% of the variance. The second factor, support, had an eigenvalue equal to 1.36 and explained 15.06% of the variance. The two combined to explain 46.14% of the variance. Results of the internal reliability analysis suggested that the interest items comprised an acceptable and reasonably reliable composite (α = .786). The item, “I want to change my career” had the lowest factor loading with .278. Analysis revealed that removing this item would increase Cronbach's alpha to .814. Support Items #1 and #2 correlated (r = 0.67), indicating that they were strong enough to form a composite (DeVellis, 2003). Conducting an internal reliability analysis of these two support items revealed an acceptable and reasonably reliable composite (α = .799) (see Table 2). An EFA of five items used to assess reasons for considering an advanced nursing degree was conducted, and a PAF extraction and direct Oblimin rotation were again used. The analysis indicated one factor with an eigenvalue equal to 2.43 and explaining 40.53% of the variance. The six items loaded onto one factor, which was labeled readiness; analysis revealed that the readiness items comprised an acceptable and reasonably reliable composite (α = .755).
Readiness Item #6 had a negative factor loading and was reverse scored prior to the internal reliability analysis. Results of this analysis revealed that the readiness items comprised an acceptable and reasonably reliable factor (α = 0.76). The internal reliability analysis revealed that removing readiness Item #6 (factor loading = − 0.329) would increase Cronbach's alpha to 0.78. Removing readiness Item #5 (factor loading = 0.367) would increase Cronbach's alpha to 0.77. These items had relatively low item-total correlations (r = 0.31 and 0.27, respectively). Removing both items increased Cronbach's alpha to 0.80 and resulted in a readiness scale of four items (see Table 3). After removing three items, a third and final factor analysis was conducted using 12 items: six interest items, two support items, and four readiness items to determine whether the three factors identified previously represented unique factors (see Table 4). When all final items were subjected to an EFA (PAF, Oblimin rotation), the three scales formed three independent factors (eigenvalues = 3.40, 1.55, 1.23 for interest, readiness, and support, respectively) and explained 51.25% of variance. Correlations computed for the three factors revealed a statistically significant relationship between interest and readiness, where r = .300 (P b .01); the relationship between readiness and support was not statistically significant, where r = − .022 (P = .474) (see Table 5).
Discussion This examination of the psychometric properties of the Doctoral Readiness Self-Assessment revealed that the original 15 items used in two survey questions (reasons to pursue an advanced degree and reasons for considering an advanced degree) could be reduced to 12 items representing three factors: interest in an advanced degree (interest), readiness to pursue an advanced degree
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Table 3. Factor Matrix of Survey Question #5: Reasons to Consider an Advanced Degree Factor matrix Factor loadings
Participants addressed each item using a 4-point response scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree. R1. I'm emotionally ready to return to academics. R2. I'm at a point in my life where I can devote time and energy to this effort. R3. I am familiar with the application process and feel ready to submit a graduate school application. R4. I'm financially ready and have the means of support from savings, family, my employer or the place where I hope to study. R5. It's now or never. I'm afraid if I don't do it now, I never will. R6. I'm not sure. I need more information to answer this question.
Readiness 0.840 0.839 0.694 0.545 0.367 − 0.329
Note: Factor loadings less than |0.25| were removed from the table.
(readiness), and support for pursuing an advanced degree (support). The interest items could help respondents gauge their desire to pursue an advanced degree and to help identify some of the benefits they might receive from this endeavor. The readiness items could help respondents determine whether they have what they need (e.g., understanding of the application process, financial wherewithal) to pursue an advanced degree. Finally, the support items could help respondents assess the level of potential backing received from important reference groups such as family members and employers. This finding would suggest that respondents who have a requisite level of interest in pursuing an advanced degree also have indicated a certain level of readiness to pursue it. In addition, individuals that have a certain level of interest also feel that they have sufficient levels of support from family members and employers to engage in
this academic pursuit. Interestingly, a negative, albeit not statistically significant, relationship exists between readiness and support, which indicates that while respondents might be personally ready to pursue a degree, they may not have support from others. The presence or absence of support influences interest, which then indirectly influences readiness. While support has been identified as important for doctoral success, it does significantly influence perceived readiness. Evidence of validity and reliability of this survey instrument would suggest that interest, readiness, and support represent three distinct factors that may be used for additional analysis to predict future enrollment in doctoral nursing degree programs.
Recommendations and Conclusions The psychometric properties of the DAN Readiness Self-Assessment for Doctoral Study were determined
Table 4. Component Matrix of Survey Items #1 and #5 Factor matrix Participants addressed each item using a 4-point response scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree I1. I have a burning desire to help others, solve important problems, and do something fantastic with my life. I2. I want to advance my career. An advanced degree will open doors for me. I3. An advanced degree will give me the confidence I need to accomplish my life's goals. I4. I want to have more clout when I voice my opinion. I5. I'm curious and I want to learn more to be able to answer the questions in nursing that I would like to ask. I6. I would like to gain advanced education in theory, statistics, research methods, or care of patients. R1. I'm emotionally ready to return to academics. R2. I'm at a point in my life where I can devote time and energy to this effort. R3. I am familiar with the application process and feel ready to submit a graduate school application. R4. I'm financially ready and have the means of support from savings, family, my employer or the place where I hope to study. S1. My family/friends have strongly encouraged me to go back to school. I hear what they're saying, but I'm not sure if I'm totally on board with their thinking. S2. My employer has strongly encouraged me to go back to school. I hear what they're saying, but I'm not sure if I'm totally on board with their thinking.
Factor loadings Interest Readiness Support 0.746 0.716 0.702 0.616 0.553 0.551 − 0.800 − 0.793 − 0.683 − 0.594 0.843 0.795
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Table 5. Correlations for the Three Factor Composites. Interest Readiness Support
r P r P
.280 ⁎ .000 .209 ⁎ .000
Readiness
− 0.022 .474
⁎ Correlation is statistically significant at the .01 level.
using a sample of accelerated second-degree nursing students who received an NCIN scholarship. Efforts to continue the baseline work presented in the study should include several next steps. One next step would be to replicate the survey with graduates from traditional-paced nursing programs in order to determine if the properties still hold. Another next step would be to replicate the survey with graduates from programs other than nursing. Over the course of our work, we learned that some individuals may be finding the survey through the Internet. This survey is readily available on-line to nurse educators and potential doctoral students at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ DoctoralReadinessAssessmentDANStudentAssessment. Another recommendation is to conduct a study to learn about the longer-term impact of taking the survey and preparing for doctoral study. A recommendation would be to encourage students to complete the survey in preparation for doctoral study and follow up with the results. In addition, examine if the components predict application and enrollment in graduate school. The intent of these next steps is to facilitate students moving from being interested in pursuing doctoral education to actually earning their DNP or PhD in nursing. Learning more about the elements that lead them to take action may help to increase the number of individuals who pursue doctoral education and expand the demographic representation of the individuals who engage in doctoral education. In addition to nursing schools providing adequate information about the doctoral program, prospective students should also be encouraged to make realistic assessments about themselves based on the information they received from prospective doctoral programs. In particular, applicants must examine whether they have enough personal resources—both financial and other support—to successfully engage in their doctoral study. Applicants should also be encouraged to assess whether they believe they possess the necessary skills and knowledge that are necessary for their doctoral program. We are encouraged that potential doctoral students in other fields of study are finding and taking the Doctoral Readiness Self-Assessment. This interest on the part of prospective doctoral students in other fields is evidence of the interest in doctoral study and students' desire to learn more about their level of readiness. One limitation of factor analysis is that it is exploratory in nature and cannot be used for inferential purposes. Even with large samples, it is an error-prone procedure (Costello & Osborne, 2005). Future research
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should employ EFA replication because it will indicate the likelihood that the models will generalize to the next dataset, while also identifying volatile or problematic items (Osborne & Fitzpatrick, 2012). Once EFA replication has occurred, a confirmatory factor analysis can be used to confirm the use of the scale by others.
Acknowledgments Support for this research was provided by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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