LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

To the Editors:

I read with interest your editorial on the doctor of nursing practice. As an advanced practice nurse with a PhD, I am one of the very few who has been able to successfully blend a research degree with clinical practice. Most of my colleagues with PhDs have found comfort in the world of academia and have chosen to focus on research and teaching. In fact, having been a faculty member, I struggled for some time with the notion that academia is where I should return.

However, since then I have come to terms with my true strengths: the ability to make a difference as an advanced practice nurse and promote clinical research at the same time. I completed my MSN in 1981 and started my first job as a clinical nurse specialist in critical care. In those days, the role was quite new, and I spent my...