Nursing

100 Church Street South, 785.2393
http://nursing.yale.edu/Academics/PhD/
M.Phil., Ph.D.

Dean
Margaret Grey

Director of Graduate Studies
Marjorie Funk (737.2346, marjorie.funk@yale.edu)

Professors
Jane Dixon, Marjorie Funk, Margaret Grey, M. Tish Knobf, Ruth McCorkle, Gail Melkus, Nancy Redeker, Nancy Reynolds, Lawrence Scahill, Ann Williams

Associate Professors
Deborah Chyun, Sally Cohen, Barbara Guthrie, Lois Sadler, Sheila Santacroce, Sandra Talley, Robin Whittemore

Assistant Professors
Cynthia Connolly, Karel Koenig, Juliette Shellman

Fields of Study

Fields include chronic illness (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS); self- and family management; maternal and child health; policy and politics of nursing organizations; health services; health disparities and care of vulnerable populations; acute and critical care; children with mental health disorders; nursing history; end of life and palliative care; global health; health promotion; environmental health; gerontology and long-term care; and school- and community-based interventions.

Special Admissions Requirements

Applicants should have a master’s degree in nursing, or the equivalent, including previous course work in statistics and graduate-level course work in research methods, with grades of at least High Pass, B, 3.0, or equivalent. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test taken no more than five years prior to application is required. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam is required of all applicants for whom English is a second language. This requirement can be waived if the applicant has completed a master’s degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or another English-speaking country. Samples of written work (e.g., published article, thesis, literature review) and a curriculum vitae are required. Qualified applicants will be invited for interview with a member of the doctoral faculty.

Special Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree

Completion of ten required core courses and six cognates is required. The grading system includes Honors, High Pass, Pass, and Fail. Students must maintain a High Pass average and achieve a grade of Honors in at least two core courses to remain in good standing.

Graduate Research Assistant and Teaching Fellow Experience

During the first two years of the program, students are Graduate Research Assistants with faculty mentors and participate in the mentor’s ongoing research. Students are expected to devote approximately fifteen hours per week to their Research Assistant activities.

In year 3, participation in the Teaching Fellowship Program will begin. Two terms are required. Typically, Teaching Fellows assist with the teaching of larger master’s level courses during their third and/or fourth year of doctoral study after they have completed their required courses.

Examinations

Successful completion of three examinations is required.

1. The Preliminary Examination is taken in June after the first year of course work has been completed. A grade of High Pass or better in each core course is required. The Preliminary Examination is intended to allow the student to demonstrate mastery of doctoral course work. This written examination is taken over two consecutive days. Passing the Preliminary Examination is a prerequisite for continuing in the second year of doctoral study.
   
   
2. The Qualifying Examination typically takes place during the third year of study, and preferably by the end of the fifth semester, when required course work is completed. The student prepares a comprehensive dissertation proposal containing a statement of the problem to be studied, conceptual framework, critical review of relevant literature, design, methods, and plan for analysis. The oral Qualifying Examination typically lasts 1 to 1.5 hours. The student gives a 15-minute formal presentation of the proposed study and answers questions regarding the research and related topics. Successful completion of the Qualifying Examination is required for candidacy for the doctoral degree.
   
   
3. The Final Oral Examination is based on the dissertation. The dissertation is intended to demonstrate that the student is competent in the chosen area of study and has conducted independent research. The Final Oral Examination typically lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. The student gives a 15- to 20-minute formal presentation of the dissertation and answers questions. Successful completion of the Final Oral Examination is required before the Ph.D. can be awarded.

Master’s Degree

M.Phil. (en route to the Ph.D.). This degree will be granted to Ph.D. students who successfully complete two years of course work, but do not progress to the dissertation stage. To be awarded the M.Phil. degree, students need to complete all core courses, six cognates (may include independent study with faculty), and two years of Graduate Research Assistant experience, and must pass the Preliminary Examination. This degree is normally granted only to students who are withdrawing from the Ph.D. program.

For information on the terminal master’s degree offered by the Yale School of Nursing (Master of Science in Nursing), visit the School’s Web site, http://nursing.yale.edu/, or contact Frank A. Grosso, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Registrar, Yale School of Nursing, at frank.grosso@yale.edu.

Courses

NURS 529a, Statistics for Clinical Nursing Research.  Marjorie Funk.
This course presents the descriptive and inferential techniques that are most commonly used in nursing studies. It covers the conceptualization of the technique and the ability to select the appropriate technique to answer a research question or test a hypothesis. An additional emphasis is on the interpretation of statistical analyses in articles reporting research findings to enhance evidence-based practice. Two hours per week. Students must complete this course or waive it by examination before enrolling in NURS 917b.

PHIL 569a, Philosophy of Science.  Jill North, Barbara Guthrie.
Consideration of central questions about the nature of scientific theory and practice, including what makes a discipline a science, whether science discovers the objective truth about the world, how and why scientific theories change over time, to what extent observation and experiment determine which theories we accept, what constitutes a good scientific explanation, what laws of nature are, and whether physics has a special status compared to other sciences. Required of all doctoral students. Two hours per week lecture and two hours every other week discussion group for nursing doctoral students.

NURS 901a, Methods for Nursing Research.  Jane Dixon.
This advanced course in research methods provides an opportunity to evaluate various research designs used to investigate problems of importance to nursing. Emphasis is placed on the interrelationships of the clinical problem, state of knowledge, and study design and method. The goal is to facilitate appropriate decision making about research methods. Although the primary focus is on quantitative approaches, qualitative methods are also considered. Required of all doctoral students. Three hours per week.

NURS 903a, Measurement of Clinical Variables.  Jane Dixon.
This course focuses on theories of measurement, and on reliability and validity of research instruments—with emphasis on interaction of conceptual, methodological, and pragmatic considerations. An integration of seminar and lecture is employed. This course is required of second-year doctoral students and is also open to advanced graduate students in other departments. Three hours per week.

NURS 904a/b/c, Doctoral Independent Study.  Doctoral Faculty.
This elective is initiated by the student and negotiated with faculty. The purpose is to allow in-depth pursuit of an individual area of interest. A written proposal must be submitted and signed by the student, the faculty member(s), and the director of graduate studies.

NURS 905b, Creating Method: Issues in Nursing Research.  Jane Dixon.
This doctoral seminar explores the “cutting edge” of methodological development in nursing research through illustration of how methodological perspectives are conceptualized and systematically analyzed. The focus is on areas in which research leaders have not achieved consensus, areas in which existing consensus may be challenged, and areas of newly recognized needs for which appropriate methodology has not been developed. The course addresses issues related to validity and threats to validity in clinical research and the experiences of participants in these studies. Three hours per week.

NURS 907, Dissertation Seminar.  Lawrence Scahill.
This required course provides the student with advanced study and direction in research leading to the development of the dissertation proposal and completion of the dissertation. Students are guided in the application of fundamentals of scientific writing and criticism. Meets every other week for two hours over the full academic year. Required of all doctoral students. Prerequisites: completion of the first year of doctoral study or the equivalent, and NURS 901a. Co-requisite: NURS 903a.

NURS 911a/b, Doctoral Research Practicum.  Marjorie Funk.
This course focuses on the development of the doctoral student’s research skills under the direction of a mentor. The theory component focuses on an overview of the research process, while the mentored research practicum emphasizes collaboration between mentor and student in the development of specific research skills. Required of all students for the first two years of doctoral study. One hour every other week.

NURS 913b, Conceptual Basis for Nursing Science.  Robin Whittemore.
This course examines the nature of scientific knowledge and the development of the conceptual underpinnings of nursing science. The contribution to nursing science of various approaches to knowledge synthesis and theory development is emphasized. Approaches to concept analysis, development, and critique are examined. Specific approaches to concept/theory development and analysis are examined. Students are expected to complete a formal analysis of a concept or theory of interest to them. Required of all doctoral students. Three hours per week.

NURS 917b, Advanced Statistics for Clinical Nursing Research.  Kristopher Fennie.
This course covers selected topics related to multivariate statistical techniques commonly employed in nursing studies. Topics include analysis of variance, multiple regression, mixed models, logistic regression, Poisson regression, factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and survival analysis. The emphasis is on attaining a conceptual understanding of these statistical techniques and associated models, selecting appropriate technique(s) for a given clinical research problem, conducting computer-assisted analyses, and correctly expressing the results of such analyses. Computing assignments are carried out using SAS, with written reports summarizing generated results. Required of all doctoral students. Prerequisite: successful completion of NURS 529a or waiver of NURS 529a by examination. Three and one-half hours per week.

NURS 919a, Introduction to Computer-Assisted Data Management and Analysis. Kristopher Fennie.
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of data management and statistical analysis. It complements NURS 529a for those students taking it concurrently and prepares students for NURS 917b. The course is laboratory-based. Class consists primarily of computing demonstrations and occasional lecture by the instructor, followed by student practice with instructor assistance. The course emphasizes using programming language in SAS®. However, the menu-driven user interface in SAS, SPSS®, n-Query®, MS Excel®, and MS ACCESS® also are covered. This course is required for doctoral students. Prerequisite: successful completion of, or concurrent enrollment in, NURS 529a, or permission of instructor.

[NURS 921b, Seminar on Research in Care of Patients with Diabetes.]

NURS 923a, Current Issues in Cardiovascular Nursing Research.  Deborah Chyun, Marjorie Funk.
In this course students examine current issues in cardiovascular nursing research. Topics vary each year to reflect the current state of the science. Prerequisite: clinical background in cardiovascular nursing and doctoral-level standing. Open to others with permission of the instructors. Two hours every other week and 30 hours at the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Offered every other year.

NURS 925b, Qualitative Research in Nursing.  Lois Sadler.
This course introduces the student to major approaches to qualitative research. Selected topics related to the design, conduct, and reporting of qualitative research are addressed. Emphasis is placed on the appropriate use of qualitative methods and differences across qualitative approaches. The course includes firsthand experience with data collection and analysis. Offered every other year.

[NURS 927b, Seminar on Research in Care of People with Cancer or at Risk for Cancer and Their Families.]  

NURS 929b, Ethical Conduct of Clinical Research.  Ann Williams.
This course covers major concepts in the ethical conduct of clinical research from the perspective of the advanced practice nurse and nurse researcher. National and international ethical codes for research and regulatory requirements are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the protection of vulnerable populations and community-based research, including international research. Required for doctoral students. One hour per week. Offered every other year.

NURS 941b, Methods for Health Services Research and Policy.  Doctoral Faculty.
The primary focus in this course is on methods for evaluating the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of health services delivery. Approaches to measuring the relevant structure, process, and outcome variables that can be used to address effectiveness, efficiency, and equity issues are presented. Throughout the course, linkages are made between specific health care policies and the related health services research. Required for doctoral students in the health systems and policy research area. Three hours per week.

NURS 943a, Conceptual Basis for the Study of Self- and Family Illness Management. Gail Melkus.
This course examines major conceptualizations of illness and self- and family management and the research supporting these conceptualizations. Emphasis is placed on linkages between illness self-management and related concepts such as self-efficacy and coping. Contributions of personal and family background factors, socio-cultural influences, health care providers, and systems are explored in the context of self-management of illness. Required for doctoral students. Three hours per week.

NURS 943b, Methodological Issues in the Study of Management of Health and Illness.  Margaret Grey, Robin Whittemore.
This seminar focuses on research methods necessary for the understanding, development, and testing of interventions in the management of health and illness. Content includes the use of qualitative, family, and survey approaches to understand the factors associated with management of health and illness and addresses the application of these approaches to both the individual and the family as a unit of study. Prerequisite: successful completion of NURS 943a. Required of all doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in the Research Training Program in Self- and Family Management. Course is open to others by consent of the instructors. Three hours per week.

NURS 961a, Contemporary Issues in Health Policy and Politics.  Sally Cohen.
This course focuses on the structural variables that affect the processes and outcomes of care. It is based on several premises. First, health policy at the national, state, and local levels of governments influences accessibility, cost, and quality of health care. Second, understanding structural variables (delivery systems, populations at risk, and environment) that shape health care delivery enhances understanding of process and outcome variables. Third, clinicians and researchers need to be able to analyze health policy and communicate their recommendations effectively to policy makers. Finally, an understanding of the structural variables in comparative context enhances understanding of global health issues. Required of all doctoral students and open to others by permission of the instructor. Three hours per week.

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