Overcoming Barriers to PhD Education in Nursing.

Background Doctoral programs continue to have high attrition rates. This article discusses barriers and success strategies for developing a new PhD program in nursing. Method A university in the southeastern United States surveyed current Master of Science in Nursing students and graduates regarding barriers to enrolling in a doctoral program. The faculty and administrators developed strategies to guide students to success in a new PhD program. Results Significant barriers to entering nursing doctoral education included financial constraints, job and family responsibilities, lack of program flexibility and faculty mentoring, and fear of research and the dissertation process. Strategies instituted were accelerated learning, convenient scheduling, and early guided dissertation work. Conclusion Recommendations for strengthening doctoral education are aimed at three significant components to guide the dissertation process: commitment, connectedness, and continuous improvement. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(7):400-403.].