The X-factors of PhD supervision: ACNAP top 10 tips on choosing a PhD supervisor

Research culture and activity improves patient outcomes, benefits the quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care, and influences health policy—which must include that undertaken by nurses and other health professionals. Doctoral programmes exist to prepare candidates to become committed, skilful, independent researchers who will lead future research to improve patient outcomes and experience. Although nursing doctoral programmes have been around since the early 1930s, there is a shortage of doctorally prepared nurses, which continues to be a barrier to advancing both care delivery and the profession. Thus, there is international recognition that increasing nursing research capacity and doctoral education is needed, including in low- to middle-income countries6 and that the quality of doctoral education is paramount.

This is especially true in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite a European population of over 748 million, it is estimated that the number of doctorally prepared CVD nurses is very low (approximately 200–300)...