Ace the 2026 Intro to Professional Nursing Exam 1 – Unleash Your Inner Nightingale!

The idea being tested is which credential centers on generating new knowledge through original research. The PhD is built for this purpose: it trains nurses to design, conduct, and interpret original studies, develop new theories, and advance nursing science with scholarly work. In nursing, PhD programs produce nurse researchers who generate evidence that informs theory, education, and practice.

The other options differ in focus. The Doctor of Nursing Practice emphasizes high-level clinical practice and translating research into patient care, rather than creating new theory. A Master’s in Education centers on teaching methods and educational leadership, not primarily on nursing research. The NLN Position Statement is a policy document, not a degree.

So, the research-focused degree is the PhD.