To provide an overview of doctoral programs in nursing offered in Ibero-American countries to inform regional collaboration and academic development.
This study was a descriptive, document analysis.
A systematic mapping was conducted using data obtained from official university and program websites, national postgraduate databases, and academic documents. The variables analysed included country, institution, year of implementation, number of faculty and students, course duration, delivery modality, costs, scholarship availability, internationalisation activities, and research lines.
A total of 94 active nursing doctoral programs were identified. Brazil emerged as the pioneer, launching the first doctoral program in 1982, and remains the regional leader, accounting for 43 programs. Most programs are offered by public institutions (76.6%), delivered primarily in face-to-face format (64.1%), and emphasise research (90.4%). There has been a consistent upward trend in the establishment of programs since 2000, with notable expansion between 2011 and 2025. Despite this progress, regional disparities persist, along with a lack of data standardisation and a limited presence of professional doctorates. While 69.1% of programs reported international activities, few offer joint or dual degrees. The most common thematic axis, “Health Care and Nursing,” proved to be broad and non-specific.
The study reveals the expanding landscape of nursing doctoral education in Ibero-America, while also exposing persistent challenges regarding access, curricular clarity and regional articulation.
Doctoral programs are essential for developing research capacity, academic leadership and evidence-based care. Strengthening these programs could enhance nursing responses to local health needs and promote scientific progress in care delivery.
This study provides the first comprehensive mapping of nursing doctoral programs in Ibero-America, highlighting regional disparities and areas for academic collaboration, with potential impact on policy-making, curriculum development, and the strengthening of research capacity in nursing education.
STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology).
No patient or public contribution.
To understand student and clinical educator experiences and practices in simulation-based learning curricula linked to rapport-building in midwifery telehealth care interactions.
A qualitative descriptive exploratory design with reflexive thematic analysis.
A purposeful sample of three educators and seven midwifery graduates who participated in a simulation-based curriculum in telehealth at a South Australian university participated in semi-structured interviews between January and February of 2024. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using woman-centred care as the core conceptual framework and qualitative social sciences research methodology to explore the values, opinions and behaviours of participants.
Four overarching themes impacting graduate preparedness to practise telehealth were identified: understandings of essential concepts, clinical educator training and perspectives, learner experiences and translation into clinical contexts. Analysis showed the impact of disparate definitions of telehealth, inconsistency in the quality and scope of scenarios, ineffective use of simulation-based learning affordances and lack of opportunities to practise telehealth skills in student placements and subsequent clinical roles.
There is scope to improve telehealth education through standardised definitions of telehealth in midwifery care, specific training for clinical educators, focussed scenario development, specific skills training in rapport-building in digital environments and practise in clinical placements.
This study shows that effective telehealth education requires specific communicative and technical skills to ensure midwifery students and graduates are equipped to engage positively with technology to build consistent rapport in telehealth consultations. Once fundamental skills are acquired, this can be extended to interprofessional learning and teaching cultural safety.
As telehealth is now part of standard healthcare practice, this timely study offers strategies, which have the potential to be transferable to curricula across all health profession education to ensure rapport building with clients.
No patient or public contribution.
Amidst the mounting challenges posed by climate change, the healthcare sector emerges as a vital frontliner, with nurses standing as its linchpins. This review delves into the pivotal role of nurses in combatting the health consequences of climatic alterations, particularly within the nuanced environment of Saudi Arabia.
A rapid literature review.
Drawing from a rigorous analysis of 53 studies, our exploration revolves around the preparedness strategies formulated in response to Saudi Arabia's changing climate. The variables analysed included study design, sample size, focus area, geographical coverage and key findings related to nurse competencies. Data were collected using a structured data extraction form and analysed using thematic content analysis. Employing content analysis, we discerned essential domains: from grasping the health impacts of climate change to customizing care for the most susceptible populations and championing advocacy initiatives.
Salient findings highlight nurses' profound understanding of both direct and secondary health implications of climate shifts. Additionally, the results emphasize the tailored interventions needed for vulnerable groups, capacity building and disaster readiness. Crucially, our findings spotlight the significance of weaving cultural, ethical and regional threads into nursing strategies. By painting a comprehensive picture, we showcase the delicate balance of environmental evolution, healthcare dynamics and the unique socio-cultural tapestry of Saudi Arabia.
The results of our analysis revealed key competencies required for nurses, including the ability to address immediate health impacts, provide tailored care for vulnerable populations and engage in advocacy and policy formulation. In summation, nurses' multifaceted roles—from immediate medical care to research, advocacy and strategizing—underscore their invaluable contribution to confronting the health adversities sparked by climate change. Our review accentuates the essential contributions of nurses in tackling climate-related health hurdles and calls for more nuanced research, policy adjustments and proactive measures attuned to Saudi Arabia's distinct backdrop.
Nursing as a profession remains underrepresented in research leadership, funding success and scholarly authorship globally, which limits its influence on policy and practice. Within this broader context, racially minoritised nursing academics, including Black academics, face additional inequities that further hinder their visibility and progression. Evidence from the United States, Canada and Australia highlights persistent barriers to research careers and leadership opportunities for Black nurses. In the United Kingdom, these disparities are particularly evident: Black nursing academics face barriers to conducting research while in the wider National Health Service workforce, Black nurses are twice less likely than their White counterparts to be promoted. Together, these patterns constrain career progression and hinder the development of culturally competent healthcare education and practice.
To explore the barriers to conducting research among Black nursing academics working in UK universities that are not traditionally research intensive, and to co-create pragmatic, theory-informed recommendations for enabling supportive and equitable research environments.
A qualitative multi-study design underpinned by Intersectionality Theory and The Silences Framework.
Two work packages are proposed. Work Package 1 will use semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences and barriers of conducting research among up to 15 Black nursing academics based at UK universities that are not research-intensive. Work Package 2 will adopt a modified Delphi methodology, engaging key collaborators in two rounds of online codesign workshops. Findings from Work Package 1 will inform structured discussions in which collaborators will develop theory-informed, pragmatic recommendations to strengthen research capacity and engagement among Black nursing academics.
This study will address the persistent underrepresentation of Black nursing academics in research. While grounded in the UK, the anticipated outputs will have wider applicability, informing policy, shaping institutional strategies and guiding future research priorities across diverse academic and healthcare systems worldwide.
To evaluate the implementation of the Transitional Care Model (TCM), an evidence-based, advanced practice registered nurse-led multi-component intervention, as part of a randomised controlled trial during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parallel convergent mixed-methods approach.
Data for this study were collected between June 2020 and February 2021. Data from 78 patients who received the intervention and 68 recorded meetings with system leaders and clinical teams were analysed using descriptive statistics, directed content analysis, and joint display.
Fidelity to delivery of elements of the TCM components was variable, with the Hospital-to-Home visit elements having the widest range (14.3%–100%) and Maintaining Relationships elements having the highest range (97.3%–98.6%). There were 27 identified challenges and 15 strategies for implementing the TCM with fidelity during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all aspects of the delivery of the TCM across all sites. This historical event highlighted the need for services and support for patients and caregivers transitioning from the hospital to home.
Evidence-based solutions are needed to enhance healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. Findings will guide nurses in implementing proven transitional care interventions.
Findings will inform the implementation and scaling of transitional care and other evidence-based interventions across diverse healthcare settings.
GRAMMS reporting guidelines.
No patient or public contribution.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04212962. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04212962?titles=NCT04212962&rank=1
To propose the collaging integration procedure for linking literature and theory to research data in mixed methods research (MMR) and illustrate its application in two mixed methods studies.
Discussion paper/research methodology.
The collaging technique was used and developed based on two exploratory sequential nurse-led mixed-methods studies.
The collaging technique entails using multiple artefacts (data fragments, figures and textual information) within one figure. Collaging can generate relevant pre-post linkages, create meaning and refine inferences and meta-inferences.
This paper offers a novel integration technique for meaningful integration of the literature review and theoretical dimensions in the integration trilogy.
Nurse researchers can use the collaging integration procedure for effective integration for conducting rigorous mixed-methods research. Collaging is a straightforward yet effective technique for enhancing integration in the literature review and theoretical dimensions in MMR.
Linking literature review, theory and research data facilitates a more meaningful interpretation of research findings. While researchers may be able to create a more fully integrated MMR design by integrating multiple dimensions of the study, to date, most of the empirical and methodological literature on MMR has focused on integration at the design, fieldwork, analysis and interpretation dimensions, ignoring others, such as the literature review and theoretical dimensions. Collaging enables intensive analysis of the raw data and embeds the insights gained from literature and theory throughout the data analysis and presentation, thereby avoiding neglecting insights which could have been gained by back-and-forth comparison and integration of literature review and theoretical underpinnings.
No direct patient or public contribution.