Page 164 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

DoMESTiC VioLEnCE n 131

required; however, most programs include importance of growing the body of substan-
a practice-related project and a residency tive knowledge that underpins nursing prac-
experience. Some practice-focused doctoral tice and to doing so in an environment of D
programs limit their specialty areas to those cross-disciplinary team science.
concerned with the direct care of patients as in addition to the growing interest in
implemented in advanced practice nursing practice-focused doctoral programs, an
roles (i.e., nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, important trend is that increasingly stu-
nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist), dents are being encouraged to progress as
whereas others also include specialty prep- quickly as possible toward the terminal
aration in administration or executive prac- degree. Fueled in part by a growing faculty
tice, informatics, or health policy. shortage and the need to produce more doc-
Entry into practice-focused doctoral pro- toral graduates, programs are increasingly
grams can be either postbaccalaureate or streamlining progression between degree
postmaster’s degree. Some postmaster’s pro- levels, combining more than one degree in a
grams require students to enter with specialty program (e.g., MS and PhD), and eliminating
preparation and/or specialty certification. in work experience as a prerequisite to admis-
all cases, graduates are expected to provide sion. As a result, the profile of the “typical”
visionary leadership in the practice arena as doctoral student is changing. The average
advanced practice nurses, program managers age of doctoral nursing students is gradually
and evaluators, administrators, or information decreasing, and students often enter doc-
specialists. Graduates of practice-focused doc- toral study from clinical as well as academic
toral programs frequently assume positions backgrounds.
as clinical educators in schools of nursing. Doctoral education continues to be an
Consequently, many programs include a fac- arena of excitement and innovation in nurs-
ulty role preparation option. ing education. The need for doctoral gradu-
historically, doctoral nursing educa- ates continues to escalate, yet the challenge to
tion began at Teachers College, Columbia maintain quality in the face of rapid change
University, and at new York University in the is of paramount concern. For individuals,
1920s. After a 30-year hiatus during which no the doctorate is the pinnacle of attainment
new programs were opened, interest in doc- in nursing education, and for institutions, it
toral education was rekindled; by the end of is the pinnacle of academic attainment. The
the 1970s, a total of 18 programs had been virtually universal acceptance of the doctor-
initiated. During the 1980s, the number of ate as the terminal degree signifies nursing’s
programs more than doubled, and with the status as a true academic discipline.
rapid increase in programs and enrollments
came concern about maintaining high qual- Elizabeth R. Lenz
ity. The American Association of Colleges
of nursing took and continues to maintain
a leadership role in developing indicators of
quality regarding student and faculty quali- DoMestiC violenCe
fications, curriculum content, administrative
patterns, research support, and other sup-
port resources. Maintaining high quality has Domestic violence, also called intimate part-
remained a consistent focus, and over time, ner violence or partner violence, is violence
ideas about the nature of scholarship and doc- perpetrated by one partner against the other
toral education have been refined. Emphasis partner in an intimate relationship. An inti-
has expanded from focusing primarily on mate partner may be a current or former
the tools of scholarship to addressing the spouse, a cohabiting partner, a boyfriend