The Road to a PhD in Nursing: Challenges We Don’t Talk about Enough: A Reflective Commentary
Authors
Prof cum Principal, Faculty of Nursing, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute Deemed to be University, Chennai (India)
Article Information
DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI.2026.1310000015
Subject Category: Nursing
Volume/Issue: 13/10 | Page No: 187-194
Publication Timeline
Submitted: 2026-10-22
Accepted: 2026-10-25
Published: 2026-10-29
Abstract
Every nursing PhD thesis has a backstory of quiet perseverance, family obligations, and late nights. While we honor Florence Nightingale as the pioneer of research and nursing, today's Indian PhD students must contend with a totally different environment. This paper examines the practical difficulties of obtaining a PhD in nursing in India, including financial strain to balancing health, work, and research. We must first recognize and remove the obstacles if we genuinely hope that nursing research will transform practice in the same way that Nightingale's work did.
Keywords
PhD Nursing, Nursing Research, Challenges, Publication, Reflective Commentary
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References
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