Faculty Support for a Culture of Scholarship of Discovery: A Literature Review.

Abstract

A review of the literature was completed answering the question: "What is known about the barriers to, and support of, the scholarship of discovery that faculty members in nursing and related health sciences (i.e., medical, dental, and pharmacy) whose time is used in both the academic setting and clinical setting encounter as they develop programs of research, engage in grant writing, and pursue scientific publication?" Using a systematic approach, a total of 29 articles were included in this review. Four major themes were identified: (1) Organizational expectations (2) administrative support (3) mentorship and (4) barriers to scholarship in nursing and related health sciences faculty. Organizational expectations and administrative support were critical in developing and maintaining a culture of scholarship, various mentorship models improved faculty scholarship skills and productivity, while multiple barriers were found to inhibit faculty development and scholarly productivity. The implementation of organizational, administrative, and faculty activities and interventions can promote a culture of scholarship. Further research is needed to determine which interventions are most helpful in developing health science faculty scholarship.