Problems encountered the individuals who completed and completing doctorate program in the field of surgical diseases nursing in Turkey

Aim: This research was carried out to determine the problems encountered by the individuals who completed and completing doctorate program in the field of surgical diseases nursing in Turkey. Methods: Type of study: A descriptive study Location and time of study: It was performed with those individuals who completed and completing their doctorate programs in the Department of Surgical Diseases Nursing between 15 June 2014 and 16 September 2014. Scope of Study and Sampling: The scope of research comprised of all individuals (n=68) who completed and completing their doctorate programs in the Department of Surgical Diseases Nursing have comprised and its sampling involved 94 individuals who accepted to participate in research. Data Collection: Data were collected by the researcher through a questionnaire (including 32 questions) developed in compliance with the literature. Data Assessment: Data were evaluated on SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) program version 20.0. Findings: It was observed that 41.5 % (n=39) of the individuals participated in research were in 25-34 age group, their mean age was 38.48±4,3 years and 96.8 % (n=91) were women. Of them, 55.3 % (n=52) had already completed their doctorate program and 27.7 % (n=26) were assistant professors and 91.5 % (n=86) were working at school as academicians. 96.8 % (n=91) of the individuals had completed their undergraduate education as nurses, 24.5 % (n=23) had completed undergraduate education, 21.3 % (n=20) had received postgraduate study and 31.9% (n=30) had taken doctorate education at Ege University Nursing Faculty. It was determined that 39.4 % of the participants had begun on postgraduate education for individual development and 24.5 % (n=23) had hard time most while making translation during the course period of doctorate education. About the organization they were taking education, 44.7 % (n=42) of the participants reported that it has partially helped concerning finding resource, 41.5 % (n=39) reported that it has been very helpful while preparing topic, 46.8 % (n=44) reported that it has been very helpful while making presentation, 50.0 % (n=47) said it has been very helpful while completing shortages related to course and 29.8 % (n=28) reported that it requested the topic of doctorate thesis to be original (x=2.320±1.080). It was observed that 27.7 % (n=26) of individuals had experienced difficulty mostly during the process of determining the name of the topic and limiting it (x=1.840 + 1.958); 30.9 % (n=29) during finding new resources throughout the doctorate thesis (x=1.723 + 1.786); 34.5 % (n=23) about the permission problem during the application process of doctorate thesis (x=2.032 + 2.219); 14.9 % (n=14) about being unfamiliar of the statistical analysis during writing phase of the doctorate thesis (x=2.629 + 2.998) and 9.6 % (n=9) worried about answering questions related to the defense quiz of the doctorate thesis (x=0.723 + 1.290). It was established that 46.8 % (n=44) of the individuals who completed doctorate program had published their dissertations; 26.6 % (n=25) had their dissertations published in national congresses and journals; 16.0 % (n=15) had experienced hard time publishing their dissertations in foreign journals (x=0.968+1.616); and 18.1 % (n=17) had experienced most of the dissertation-related problems throughout the doctorate education. Conclusion: It was determined that individuals who participated in research had experienced problems mostly during making translation at the course period of doctorate education; while determining the name of the topic for doctorate thesis and limiting it; while finding new topic during the process of the doctorate thesis; about permission problem during the application process of doctorate thesis; about not knowing the statistical analysis during writing phase of doctorate thesis; about answering questions related to defense quiz of doctorate thesis, about having doctorate thesis published in foreign journals and about dissertation-related problems during the process of doctorate thesis.