Preparing for the transition from clinical practice to academia

The Effects of Structured Mentorship and Onboarding of Novice Nursing Faculty

BACKGROUND

The United States currently is experiencing a nursing faculty shortage that greatly affects the number of nurses entering professional practice. Nurse faculty transitioning from clinical practice to academia face challenges that may have negative effects on job satisfaction and feelings of competence. Despite barriers, quality nursing faculty are needed.

METHOD

This quality improvement project evaluated the effects of an 8-week structured onboarding mentorship on novice nursing faculty's job satisfaction and feelings of competence. Novice faculty were paired with a mentor and completed weekly meetings and an online on-boarding curriculum based on National League for Nursing Nurse Educator Core Competencies. A pretest-posttest design assessed feelings of competence and job satisfaction before and after the 8-week intervention.

RESULTS

Findings indicated increased feelings of competence and no change in job satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Outcomes demonstrate how mentorship and structured orientation can positively benefit novice faculty's experiences and competence during their transition into academia. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(6):405-408.].

From provider to professor: Supporting nurse practitioner faculty through NONPF's Faculty Institute

ABSTRACT

Over the past 15 years, the number of practicing nurse practitioners (NPs) has increased exponentially. This growth has been sustained by an increase in the number of schools offering NP preparation. Experienced NPs have assumed faculty positions in these schools. Although educational curricula prepare NPs to deliver high-quality patient care, it does not prepare graduates for academic roles in teaching, dissemination of scholarship, or service leadership to advance the profession. To address these gaps in NP faculty preparation, faculty development resources specific to NP education are needed. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) has stepped forward to fill this gap. The NONPF Faculty Institute was created in 2017, and it includes the annual Fall Conference, the Faculty Leadership Mentoring Program, the Webinar Series, and, most recently, the joint NPACE/NONPF New Faculty Development Program. This comprehensive focus on faculty development aligns with NONPF's mission to promote excellence in NP education and advance the NP role in health care. Programs in the NONPF Faculty Institute are specifically designed to address the distinct learning needs of NP faculty. They use "just in time" presentations and active learning strategies to provide NP faculty with easily accessible and targeted content and opportunities for direct application of new skills. The Institute's goal is to provide NP faculty opportunities to prepare themselves to meet the teaching, scholarship and service leadership expectations of academia, the learning needs of students, and advance the impact of NP practice on patient and health care system outcomes.

The Clinical Academic Partnership for Excellence: Lessons Learned From a Clinical Faculty Onboarding Program

BACKGROUND

The Clinical Academic Partnership for Excellence (CAPE) is an innovative program designed to provide ongoing education, mentorship, and support for novice clinical faculty.

PURPOSE

The aims of this study were to (1) understand the competency of clinical faculty in their teaching, (2) discover the usefulness of CAPE modules, and (3) explore the benefits of the CAPE program.

METHODS

An electronic survey using Likert-style and open-ended questions was administered to clinical faculty who participated in CAPE over 2 years.

RESULTS

Participants were able to operationalize the curriculum, objectively evaluate students, and communicate effectively using CAPE content. Benefits included collaboration with faculty, evidence-based teaching, and debriefing. Eighty-eight percent of participants planned to teach for the program again.

CONCLUSIONS

The CAPE program is an innovative approach to bridging the gap between clinical practice and academia. It may be a sustainable solution for faculty retention, satisfaction, and quality education.

Easing the transition from nurse clinician to nurse educator in Ghana: Exploring novice nurse educators' perspectives

AIM

To explore novice nurse educators' perspectives on easing the transition from nurse clinician to nurse educator in Ghana.

DESIGN

A descriptive qualitative study.

METHODS

In total, 12 novice nurse educators (NNEs) were recruited from three health training institutions in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Between June and August 2020, individual in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed manually using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged: mentoring, orientation to educator role, pedagogical preparation and postgraduate studies. To ease the transition, NNEs stressed on developing individual mentoring programmes to mentor novices before they start to teach. They endorsed the development of college-specific orientation programmes to orientate novices before they assume full teaching roles. Participants also urged nurse clinicians to obtain pedagogical preparation and postgraduate degree before moving into academia or immediately after being employed.

Strategies Adopted by Novice Nurse Educators to Facilitate Their Transition From Practice to Academia: A Qualitative Study in Ghana

Introduction

The successful transition of nurses from clinical practice to academia is essential to the training of a proficient future nursing workforce. However, deprived of requisite support and guidance, novice nurse educators often find the transition from bedside nursing practice to the classroom challenging and hence, adopt some coping strategies to facilitate their transition. Yet, little is known about the strategies adopted by Ghanaian novice nurse educators to facilitate their transition.

Objective

This study explored the strategies adopted by novice nurse educators to facilitate their transition from practice to academia in three nursing training colleges in Ghana.

Methods

This study adopted a descriptive qualitative study design. The study used a purposive sampling technique to recruit 12 novice nurse educators. Data were generated through individual in-depth interviews using a semistructured interview guide. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed manually through thematic analysis.

Results

Novice nurse educators adopted a wide range of strategies to facilitate their transition from practice to academia. Four major themes emerged: (1) seeking support from peers, (2) attending workshops and conferences, (3) relying on performance appraisal and feedback, and (4) applying past clinical nursing knowledge.

Conclusion

The strategies adopted to facilitate the transition were mostly self-inspired and informal, which calls for more formal and evidence-based strategies to facilitate the transition process. College authorities must create, or adopt and modify faculty mentorship models to mentor novice nurse educators, develop and implement college-specific orientation programmes for novice nurse educators, and implement regular online tutor appraisals by students.

Exploring the reasons for novice nurse educators' transition from practice to academia in Ghana

Background

There is an increasing transition rate of experienced clinical nurses from practice to academia. When nurses transition from practice to academia for the right reasons, it culminates in job satisfaction and retention. Thus, understanding what attracts clinical nurses to academia is an important consideration for employing and retaining competent nurse educators. Yet, there are gaps in research about what motivates nurses to transition from practice to academia within the Ghanaian context. This study aimed to explore the reasons for novice nurse educators’ transition from practice to academia in three Health Training Institutions in the Upper East Region of Ghana.

Methods

This qualitative descriptive phenomenology study used a purposive sampling method to select 12 novice nurse educators. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide through individual face-to-face in-depth interviews. Written informed consent was obtained and interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was done manually guided by Colaizzi’s method of data analysis.

Results

Novice nurse educators transitioned from practice to academia because they were dissatisfied with their clinical nursing practice, they wanted more flexible work, they wanted to work autonomously, and they previously taught their clients in the clinical setting. Four themes emerged namely: (1) dissatisfied with clinical nursing, (2) quest for flexible work role, (3) quest for work autonomy, and (4) previous clinical teaching.

Conclusion

The reasons for transitioning from practice to academia were mostly born out of novice nurse educators’ previous negative experiences in the clinical setting which ought to be considered in the recruitment and retention of teaching staff to train the future nurses. There is the need to revise and implement a tutor recruitment policy that takes into account, what attracts clinical nurses to the academic setting.

Taking the leap from clinical practice to academic faculty: A beginner's guide

ABSTRACT

Exploring new roles and responsibilities available to clinicians offers a path to renovate a nurse practitioner's career. The role of academician and nurse faculty broadens career horizons, presents a sense of autonomy, and offers unique opportunities to teach, participate in research, build leadership skills, and contribute to the health care delivery system at a higher level. Advance practice nurses often consider a shift to academia but are concerned about the unfamiliarity of the entire process. This article offers elements a clinician will likely encounter throughout the transition to a faculty role. These include expectations for the application and interview, negotiating for a position, and orientation to the role of an academic.