NLN Announces New NLN Program of Excellence on Advancing the Educational Excellence in Research-Focused Doctorate in Nursing Education

NLN Announces New NLN Program of Excellence on Advancing the Educational Excellence in Research-Focused Doctorate in Nursing Education

Campaign to Boost Number of Research-Focused PhDs

Washington, DC – In an effort to broaden and deepen the science of nursing, a field that has been lacking academic accreditation and singular scholarly focus, the National League for Nursing has created a new NLN Program of Excellence — Advancing the Educational Excellence in Research-Focused Doctorate in Nursing Education — for schools of nursing to prioritize doctoral programs that focus on the next generation of nurse scientists.

This initiative was formally introduced to the nursing education community gathered today at the 2025 NLN Education Summit in Orlando, Florida. Applications for the inaugural 2025-26 academic year will open this fall for nursing school administrators and faculty.

The new POE formally recognizes programs that excel in creating environments that enhance student learning and professional development; promote the pedagogical expertise of faculty; advance nursing science; increase the number of nurse scientists in the workforce; encourage the development of innovations in nursing education and science; promote the academic progression of their students and faculty; encourage academic-practice and interprofessional partnerships; influence the development of public policies that benefit nursing education; support nursing science; and promote excellence in nursing education. 

“We’ve learned that one key to sustaining and increasing the capacity of nursing schools is to matriculate doctoral candidates, providing them with a realistic path to careers in nursing education. There they may ultimately join an academic nurse faculty, influence public health policy through nonprofit or public service employment, and continue to contribute to the science of nursing education. Maintaining high quality research-focused doctorate in nursing programs is a crucial step to ensure a bright future for evidence-based nursing and nursing education,” said NLN Chair Patricia Sharpnack, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, ANEF, FAAN, Dean and Strawbridge Professor at the Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions at Ursuline College in Ohio.

There are currently fewer than 150 research-focused doctoral programs within schools of nursing nationwide. The National League for Nursing believes that to truly advance nursing education — generate new research, not merely apply the research findings already published — the field needs to exponentially expand the number of nurse-scientists.

NLN President and CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN, said, “This new NLN Program of Excellence, incentivizing colleges and universities to attract graduate nursing students interested in obtaining PhDs in nursing, can and will have a huge impact on the field over time. In the past few decades, we have correctly turned attention to upgrading standards for clinical education. Without continuing to advance, though, the scholarly, evidence-based study of nursing education, clinical education, and the effective preparation of our future nursing workforce, will ultimately pay the price.”

Criteria to be considered for the POE include demonstrating a culture of commitment to research ethics by students and faculty; influencing the health of local, state, tribal, national and/or global communities through nursing research; and generating research outputs that impact the broader inter-professional scientific community.

For more information, visit NLN.org.

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