Transition to Nursing Academia: A Positive Experience

摘要

The global nursing shortage has affected nursing faculty, as well as clinical nurses. Nurses practicing in the clinical setting are often recruited into vacant faculty positions. Educational training or experience may be lacking in recruited clinical nurses, which may contribute to the stress of transitioning into the faculty role. The scientific literature is fraught with negativity surrounding the transition experience into nursing academia. This qualitative study used semistructured interviews of eight clinical nurses who transitioned successfully into baccalaureate nurse educators. Four common themes were revealed, including Mentoring and Support, Collaboration, Camaraderie, and the additional Positive Aspects of flexibility, independence, and giving back to the next generation. This information will be valuable to nurses who are transitioning or considering moving into academic roles from clinical nursing positions. Academic nursing departments will also find the information valuable in the pursuit of healthy work environments and potential retention strategies for novice nurse educators.