Academic nurses' transition across an academic career: A qualitative study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of nurse academics' experiences with the transition from clinical practice to academia and throughout their whole career trajectory. DESIGN: Qualitative study design. METHODS: Three focus group interviews with 17 nurse academics employed at a University in Norway were conducted in May and June 2020. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Nurse academics experienced several diverse career transitions that continued throughout their whole career trajectory, affecting their daily life. Three interconnected themes were identified: 'clinically confident, yet academically uncertain', 'balancing the academic role' and 'lost in academic transition'. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to a deeper understanding of nurse academics' experiences of transitioning into their academic role and identity. Transition was found not as separate occurrences but was described as several ongoing and concurrent processes throughout their whole career trajectory regardless of seniority level or academic experience. These transitions encompass shifts in identity, new responsibilities and increased tasks, yet often occur without adequate support. As a result, nurse academics may lack the essential skills and knowledge of the academic role. IMPACT: This study provides insights into nurse academics' transition from clinical practice to academia and throughout their whole career trajectory. This is not a one-time occurrence but a continuous process that takes place throughout their entire career trajectory. This transition is embedded within a complex environment that requires careful consideration and attention. To address challenges regarding career transitions for nurse academics, universities should provide more training and preparation opportunities for all nurse academics when facing different career transitions. REPORTING METHOD: Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Honoring Nurse Educators: The Bedrock of Quality, Compassionate Care.

Celebrating the faculty and educators who profoundly impact the profession is tied to purpose. Gratitude and recognition from students, colleagues, and educational leaders can be powerful tools in maintaining not only the well-being of clinical nurses but also that of educators.

Competency gap among graduating nursing students: what they have achieved and what is expected of them.

BACKGROUND: Nurses' professional competencies play a significant role in providing safe care to patients. Identifying the acquired and expected competencies in nursing education and the gaps between them can be a good guide for nursing education institutions to improve their educational practices. METHODS: In a descriptive-comparative study, students' perception of acquired competencies and expected competencies from the perspective of the Iranian nursing faculties were collected with two equivalent questionnaires consisting of 85 items covering 17 competencies across 5 domains. A cluster sampling technique was employed on 721 final-year nursing students and 365 Iranian nursing faculties. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t-tests. RESULTS: The results of the study showed that the highest scores for students' acquired competencies and nursing faculties' expected competencies were work readiness and professional development, with mean of 3.54 (SD = 0.39) and 4.30 (SD = 0.45), respectively. Also, the lowest score for both groups was evidence-based nursing care with mean of 2.74 (SD = 0.55) and 3.74 (SD = 0.57), respectively. The comparison of competencies, as viewed by both groups of the students and the faculties, showed that the difference between the two groups' mean scores was significant in all 5 core-competencies and 17 sub-core competencies (P < .001). Evidence-based nursing care was the highest mean difference (mean diff = 1) and the professional nursing process with the lowest mean difference (mean diff = 0.70). CONCLUSION: The results of the study highlight concerns about the gap between expected and achieved competencies in Iran. Further research is recommended to identify the reasons for the gap between the two and to plan how to reduce it. This will require greater collaboration between healthcare institutions and nursing schools.

Nursing faculty development program for digital teaching competence.

BACKGROUND: Nursing faculties need to develop digital competencies to effectively use information, communication, and technology-based nursing education. PURPOSE: The study aimed to develop and apply a theory-guided faculty development program on digital teaching competencies. METHODS: A faculty development program was developed. Between March and April 2020, three five-hour web workshops participated by ninety-three faculty members were held. The program was assessed via mixed methods, combining satisfaction surveys post-workshop with content analysis of open-ended questionnaires to gauge participant evaluation of program content and learning experience. RESULTS: Participants were highly satisfied with the program contents and their opportunity for integrating digital technology into education and improving faculty proficiency in digital teaching technology. CONCLUSIONS: The program provides faculties with the self-confidence and essential skills to teach students using information, communication, and technology-based nursing education by enhancing their digital teaching competencies. It is critical to integrate both digital proficiency and nursing practice education.

Fostering change, empowering faculty: comments on the NURSLITT study and the five-year rule.

The five-year rule must die. Despite an extensive literature search, the origins of the five-year rule remain unknown. In an era when the nursing profession is so focused on evidence-based practice, any approach that arbitrarily limits literature searches to articles published in the previous five years lacks scientific basis. We explore some reasons for the pervasiveness of the practice and suggest that librarians need to engage with nursing faculty, who are well-positioned to be change agents in this practice.

Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Composition Among Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Faculty Ranks.

BACKGROUND: Despite increases in nursing faculty diversity, representation is lacking in positions of higher faculty rank. Challenges for minority faculty include decreased awareness of promotion standards, less mentoring, and increased stress from being the sole representative of their respective underrepresented population. METHODS: The purpose of this study was to determine the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) faculty in the United States. A nonexperimental survey was sent to all accredited NNP programs to describe demographics of NNP faculty in the United State. RESULTS: Of the 128 survey participants, 84% self-identified as White. Forty-eight of the participants ranked Professor or Associate professor were White. In contrast, all other races only had 8 respondents who were of the higher faculty ranks. There were only 2 male participants; one identified as full professor and one as associate professor. CONCLUSION: Limitations of this project included a small sample size leading to an inability to determine statistical significance. Previous evidence supports decreased diversity in higher faculty rank in other healthcare providers and the results of this study add to that body of literature. Barriers to increased diversification need to be rectified to ensure health equity to all patients.

Addressing the Shortage of Academic Nurse Educators: Recommendations for Educational Institutions Based on Nominal Group Technique Research.

AIM: The purpose of this qualitative study was twofold: 1) explore factors contributing to the shortage of academic nurse educators (ANEs) and 2) identify opportunities to address these factors from the perspectives of nursing education institutions. BACKGROUND: The nurse faculty shortage is a major national concern, with inadequate recruitment and retention. Addressing the nursing faculty shortage is important to maintain a sustained nursing workforce. METHOD: Using a nominal group technique (NGT), a group of 45 diverse nurse educators from across the United States formed a virtual workgroup. RESULTS: Findings led to an action plan formulated to guide educational institutions with ways to decrease the ANE shortage through recruitment and retention. CONCLUSION: The evidence demonstrates the need for educational institutions to concentrate efforts on recruiting and retaining ANEs to combat the nursing shortage. The analysis offers recommendations to institutions to increase the number of qualified ANEs.

Mentoring in Academic Nursing From the Perspectives of Faculty Mentors.

AIM: The aim of this study was to create a theoretical framework that describes how mentoring relationships in academic nursing unfold from the perspectives of nurse faculty mentors. BACKGROUND: Mentoring is a strategy that can promote the satisfaction and retention of nurse faculty. Although research has focused on the experiences of protégés in mentoring relationships, little is known about mentoring from the perspectives of nurse faculty mentors. METHOD: Constructivist grounded theory was used to interview 24 experienced nurse faculty about their mentoring experiences. RESULTS: The theoretical framework Growing Together: Mentors' Perspectives on Mentoring included four phases (getting together, getting going, going together, going beyond) and three strands (relationship with protégé, work of mentoring, emotional impact of mentoring). CONCLUSION: Participants experienced a variety of benefits from mentoring while also experiencing a variety of challenges. Findings suggest that more resources are needed for experienced faculty who mentor novice nurse faculty.

How Nurse Faculty in Saudi Arabia View Their Competencies in All Aspects of the Faculty Role: A Descriptive Study.

ABSTRACT: This study used a quantitative descriptive survey with a sample of 92 participants to assess perceived nurse faculty competency in their role at Saudi Arabian universities. Participants' perceptions overall were highly positive in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service competencies. Participants reported less competence in the areas of scholarship and service when they started in their role. Orientation and a mentor relationship with senior faculty were reported to aid in their transition to the faculty role. The findings of the study identify strategies to support the new nurse educator.

RN-to-BS Nursing Education Research: A Scoping Review.

AIM: The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the extent, range, and nature of RN-to-BS nursing education research. BACKGROUND: The state of nursing education science specific to RN-to-BS education is not available. METHOD: Scoping review methodology was used to identify categories and types of published research related to RN-to-BS nursing education. RESULTS: Eight categories were identified across the 41 articles that met the inclusion criteria: teaching strategies ( n = 11), curriculum ( n = 9), enrollment/retention ( n = 8), benefits of a bachelor's degree ( n = 4), student characteristics ( n = 3), professional values ( n = 2), role transition ( n = 2), and faculty/student expectations ( n = 2). CONCLUSION: Opportunities exist for researchers to study RN-BS students and faculty to better support evidence-based teaching practices and faculty development needs relevant for the increasingly hybrid and online student populations.

Assessment of Nurse Educator Leadership: Instrument Development and Psychometric Analysis.

AIM: Study purposes were to 1) establish the relevance and clarity of a new instrument, the Leadership in Nursing Education (LNE©) for nurse educators, and 2) provide evidence to support the reliability and validity of the LNE. BACKGROUND: The future of nursing education is dependent upon the leadership of nurse faculty. Competency development requires self-assessment to engage in meaningful pathways for leadership development. METHOD: A Delphi study was conducted with 50 nurse faculty leaders to determine the content validity of the LNE. The final instrument was then sent to nurse faculty across the United States to assess its psychometric properties. RESULTS: The LNE was determined to be a reliable instrument for the population tested. Three distinct subscales emerged from the exploratory factor analysis: strategic, relational, and authentic. CONCLUSION: The LNE fills a gap in nurse educator leadership assessment and provides evidence to support the instrument's reliability and validity.

Nurse Faculty Perceptions of External Factors Affecting Psychological Capital and Leadership Development.

BACKGROUND: Psychological capital (PsyCap) is a higher order construct that includes four psychological capacities: hope, efficacy, resiliency, and optimism (known as HERO). PsyCap can be instrumental in navigating workplace challenges; it can be impeded by factors within the environment that may also impact intention to seek leadership development. METHOD: A descriptive, qualitative study guided by Husserl's descriptive phenomenology sought to explore faculty perceptions of the external factors of workload, organizational support, organizational resources, and incentive on PsyCap and intent to seek leadership development. RESULTS: Analysis uncovered three themes: reset button, driving factors for seeking leadership development, and faculty as leaders. CONCLUSION: External factors can either hinder or promote PsyCap and intent to seek leadership development. Constructs within PsyCap are critical for nursing faculty to achieve a "reset." Organizations should offer resources or support to further foster PsyCap.

Evaluation of the Maryland Next Gen Test Bank Project: Implications and Recommendations.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the development and impact of a project to create a statewide test bank of Next Generation NCLEX®-style items. BACKROUND: Using a train-the-trainer model, champions created an open access resource of Next Generation NCLEX-style items to use to teach clinical judgment and then trained peers on item writing and test bank use. METHOD: Stufflebeam's CIPP (context, inputs, process, and products) model provided the framework for the evaluation. Data were synthesized from multiple sources including participation rates, item utilization, and survey data. RESULTS: Twenty faculty from 13 schools were trained as champions and submitted 54 case studies, 33 bowties, and 21 trend items to the test bank. Items were used over 60,000 times in the first year. CONCLUSION: The statewide test bank met a need for more teaching resources. The train-the-trainer model was an effective strategy for helping faculty learn to prepare for Next Generation NCLEX.

Nursing Student Perceptions of Incivility in Academia.

ABSTRACT: Compassion is an essential value held by the nursing profession, but many nurses demonstrate incivility that may originate from their experiences in nursing academia. The Incivility in Nursing Education-Revised tool was used at a community college nursing program to gain student perspectives on incivility. Watson's theory of human caring influenced this study. Participants were surveyed about types and frequencies of perceived faculty incivility. At least 77.8 percent of participants observed some degree of incivility in the program. No correlations between incivility and age or health care experience were identified.

Development of the Gerontological Nursing Competency Questionnaire.

AIM: The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to measure competencies of gerontological nursing faculty. BACKGROUND: There is no accepted instrument to assess competencies of gerontological nursing faculty. METHOD: To develop the Gerontological Nursing Competency Questionnaire (GNCQ), we used a modified Delphi technique focused on consensus building among experts from the National Hartford Center for Gerontological Nursing Excellence. The 25-item GNCQ measures confidence in knowledge, confidence in teaching, and interest in further training in gerontological nursing. The instrument was piloted in a large nursing department at a university in southern California. RESULTS: Low faculty competencies in knowledge and teaching and low interest in further training were observed. CONCLUSION: The GNCQ demonstrated initial content validity and an ability to identify key areas of deficiency in knowledge and teaching among nursing faculty. It may be used for improvement initiatives in gerontological nursing programs.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Educators' Perceptions of Teaching Dissociative Disorders: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although the prevalence of dissociative disorders (DDs) is up to 10 percent of the general population, psychiatric-mental health (PMH) registered nurses lack education on how to care for individuals diagnosed with these disorders. METHOD: Sixty-two PMH nurse educators completed an anonymous online survey about their perceptions of teaching DDs to nursing students. Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework was used to conduct an inductive, reflexive thematic analysis of the data. RESULTS: Three primary themes were identified: lack of resources, differing opinions on the value of teaching DDs, and stigma. CONCLUSION: Though roughly 75 percent of participants reported that they teach DDs to their nursing students, they endorsed concerning misperceptions about the diagnoses. By failing to properly educate future PMH RNs about DDs, individuals with DDs are at risk of receiving inadequate and inappropriate nursing care and experiencing poor outcomes.

Trigger Warnings in Nursing Education: Psychiatric Mental Health Instructors' Practices and Perspectives.

ABSTRACT: Psychiatric mental health (PMH) nursing education covers topics that some students find potentially distressing and anxiety-producing. Trigger warnings are commonly found in entertainment and social media venues, but there is little research to explore the use of trigger/content warnings in undergraduate nursing education. This current research surveyed PMH nursing instructors ( n = 48) and found that most give trigger warnings and believe them to be helpful. However, there is no consistency on how and when warnings are provided, nor their content. Overall, results indicate that trigger warnings may be one aspect of implementing supportive and trauma-informed pedagogy.

Incivility in the Online and Hybrid Learning Environment During the COVID-19 Pandemic Era.

ABSTRACT: With the surge in online learning since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, fostering civil behavior in this environment is essential. This mixed-methods study examined online incivility among faculty and students at two schools of nursing using a quantitative survey instrument with several open-ended questions addressing the impact of the pandemic. Survey results suggested that faculty ( n = 23) and students ( n = 74) experienced a low frequency of online incivility that remained potentially disruptive. Qualitative analyses suggested that the pandemic placed considerable strain on nursing faculty and students while providing increased flexibility for working and learning.

Supporting Mental Health Well-Being in the Most Vulnerable Future Nurses.

AIM: The aim of the study was to explore relationships between perceived faculty support and prevalence of severe/extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress levels among undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students. BACKGROUND: Emerging research supports nursing students suffering from extreme psychological distress. Educational success and mental health wellness are influenced by external support. METHOD: A mixed-methods design was used for this descriptive, cross-sectional study. A national convenience sample of 1,163 undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, Perceived Faculty Support Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. Emerging themes in the qualitative data were identified. RESULTS: Nearly 54 percent of nursing students suffered from severe/extremely severe depression, anxiety, or stress. Faculty support was critical to nursing student mental health well-being. CONCLUSION: This multisite study provides a better understanding of the enormity of psychological distress among undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students and emphasizes the immediate need for faculty to provide necessary support to this vulnerable student population.

Assessment of nursing faculty retirement projections.

BACKGROUND: Nursing faculty retirement is a critical factor contributing to the nursing faculty shortage. PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of projections on 2016 to 2025 nursing faculty retirements made in a previous study by Fang and Kesten (2017). METHODS: The 2016 to 2022 full-time nursing faculty data collected by American Association of Colleges of Nursing were used to examine the accuracy of the retirement projections for the same years. DISCUSSION: The study found that the mean age of full-time nursing faculty decreased for the first time; the number of faculty retirees and their age distributions projected by Fang and Kesten (2017) were accurate; there was a larger loss of nursing faculty at senior ranks to retirements than was anticipated; nursing faculty aged 50 to 59 in 2015 have made significant progress in doctoral attainment, senior rank, and graduate-level teaching by 2022, but they were still underrepresented in senior ranks compared to the 2016 to 2022 retirees; and for nursing faculty with a PhD degree, their growth was slower than their loss to retirements. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate the usefulness of the specific methods for faculty retirement projections. The decline in the mean age of nursing faculty is a positive sign that there is an increased recruitment of younger nurses into academia. The increase in the number of younger nurses entering academia with Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)-degree preparation can be leveraged through PhD-DNP collaboration to prepare practice-ready nursing graduates who contribute to health care improvements. Nursing schools need to implement innovative strategies to mentor younger faculty for their successful succession.