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International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience | ISSN: 1522-4821 | Volume 20
November 26-27, 2018 | Los Angeles, USA
Psychiatry, Mental Health Nursing and Healthcare
World Summit on
Applied Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental Health
International Conference on
&
Think Positive! Examining the transition to academia from clinical nursing
Laurel Anderson-Miner
University of Pittsburgh, USA
A
ll aspects of the nursing profession have been affected by the international nursing shortage. Many vacant nursing faculty
positions have been filled with clinical nurses lacking formal preparation to teach. The stress of transitioning to the nursing
faculty role has been emphasized in the scientific literature. A basic qualitative study was designed to discover the positive aspects of
the transition period, which may enable retention strategies in the academic nurse educator role. A sample of eight nursing faculty
members who successfully transitioned to the baccalaureate nurse educator role was interviewed using semi-structured techniques.
Findings revealed four common themes: mentoring and support, collaboration, camaraderie and the positive aspects of the nursing
faculty role. Mentoring and support contributed to the professionalization to the academic role. When experienced nursing faculty
members encouraged collaboration with novice nurse educators, the novice could focus on course management, rather than course
development, in this early transition phase. Socialization to the professional academic role was facilitated through camaraderie
among faculty members and nursing students. Finally, flexibility in scheduling, having independence and giving back to nursing
through teaching were the positive aspects of the role. The findings of this research have implications for clinical nurses moving into
the academic role, for nursing faculty departments seeking positive environments and for those novice nurse educators who have
successfully transitioned to the professional role and are seeking retention in the position. Recommendations for future research
include using a mixed methodology to include the perceptions of the transitioning faculty members. As well, seeking a more diverse
sample of nurse educators is warranted. Future studies should also address whether any associated factors contributed to the described
positive experience, such as the nurse had previously been a student nurse preceptor and the type of clinical experience of the nurse
before moving into the academic role.
dlaminer@verizon.netInt J Emerg Ment Health, Volume 20
DOI: 10.4172/1522-4821-C5-024