Experiences and Role Adaptation of Nursing PhDs in Hospital Settings: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT

Aims

To explore the experiences, perceptions, and role adaptation of nursing PhDs in hospital settings in China.

Design

A descriptive phenomenological qualitative study.

Methods

Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with eight female nursing PhD holders from eight tertiary hospitals across five provinces between November 2024 and February 2025. Data were concurrently collected and analysed using NVivo 11.0, guided by Colaizzi's seven-step analysis.

Results

Four main themes were identified: (1) Multidimensional motivations for choosing hospital work; (2) professional challenges; (3) perceived professional value and benefits; and (4) career expectations and developmental recommendations. Fifteen subthemes further detailed these dynamics.

Conclusion

This study offers a nuanced understanding of the career development of nursing PhDs within hospital settings. The findings reveal the complex interplay of factors influencing their decisions to enter clinical practice. Moreover, it underscores the dual challenges of role ambiguity and limited resources, while also illustrating the transformative potential of applying academic training to drive clinical innovation among nursing PhDs in hospital environments.

Implications for the Profession

These findings offer critical insights for hospital administrators and educational policymakers. By elucidating the career development challenges and opportunities for nursing PhDs, the study underscores the need for tailored talent management frameworks and targeted educational reforms. The findings have important implications for hospital settings in China and offer guidance for global strategies in talent management and clinical education reform, ultimately contributing to improved patient care and healthcare outcomes.

Reporting Method

Adhered to COREQ guidelines for qualitative research.

Patient or Public Involvement

None.

The METTL3 inhibitor STM2457 suppresses gastric cancer progression by modulating m⁶A RNA modification

by Hang Sun, Haozhi Xu, Junying Li, Xiaoman Xie, Junmei Zhang, Hongjie Dong, Huanhuan Xie, Qi Wang, Guihua Zhao, Kun Yin, Jingyu Yang, Jianwei Zhou, Ruili Wu, Chao Xu

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common and lethal cancers globally. methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3)-mediated N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) RNA methylation plays a crucial role in tumor initiation and progression by regulating RNA function. STM2457, a highly efficient METTL3 inhibitor, can inhibit METTL3 activity and may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy in cancers. However, the role of STM2457 for GC cells is still unknown. In this study, we analyzed the expression profile data of GC in TCGA and GEO databases, and further explored the expression involvement of METTL3 in GC cell line, investigated the therapeutic effect of STM2457 targeted inhibition of METTL3 in GC both in vitro and in vivo experiments. The results indicated that STM2457 could suppress GC cell proliferation and migration by inhibiting METTL3, and also promoted cell apoptosis and arrest the cell cycle in S phase. In addition, STM2457 could inhibit tumor growth in subcutaneous xenotransplantation mouse model. Our findings suggested that STM2457 had great potential for the treatment of GC and could serve as a foundation for future clinical applications.