Academic Nurse Educator Research Articles

Relationship between ethical ideology and moral judgment: Academic nurse educators' perception.

Ascertaining the relationship between ethical ideology, moral judgment, and ethical decision among academic nurse educators at work appears to be a challenge particularly in situations when they are faced with a need to solve an ethical problem and make a moral decision. This study aims to investigate the relationship between ethical ideology, moral judgment, and ethical decision as perceived by academic nurse educators. A descriptive correlational research design was conducted at Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University. All academic nurse educators were included in the study (N = 220). Ethical Position Questionnaire and Questionnaire of Moral Judgment and Ethical Decisions were proved reliable to measure study variables. Approval was obtained from Ethics Committee at Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University. Privacy and confidentiality of data were maintained and assured by obtaining subjects' informed consent. This study reveals a significant positive moderate correlation between idealism construct of ethical ideology and moral judgment in terms of recognition of the behavior as an ethical issue and the magnitude of emotional consequences of the ethical situation (p < 0.001; p = 0.031) respectively. Also, there is a positive significant moderate correlation between relativism construct of ethical ideology and overall moral judgment (p = 0.010). Approximately 3.5% of the explained variance of overall moral judgment is predicted by idealism together with relativism. The findings suggest that variations in ethical position and ideology are associated with moral judgment and ethical decision. Organizations of academic nursing education should provide a supportive work environment to help their academic staff to develop their self-awareness and knowledge of their ethical position and promoting their ethical ideologies and, in turn, enhance their moral judgment as well as develop ethical reasoning and decision-making capability of nursing students. More emphasis in nursing curricula is needed on ethical concepts for developing nursing competencies.

Transition from Clinical Expert to Novice Academic Nurse Educator

Background: The current nursing shortage is global in its scope; the current nursing faculty shortage contributes to this lack of qualified nurses. Long-term strategies to increase the pool of nurse educators must focus on the active recruitment of qualified nurse clinicians into the academic setting; however, the transition from expert nurse clinician to novice faculty can be difficult. Understanding this experience can provide helpful information about how to facilitate a successful transition into an academic nursing role. Objective: The purpose of this metasynthesis of the qualitative literature was to describe the experience of expert nurse clinicians in their role transition to novice nurse educators in an academic setting. Methods: A systematic review was undertaken through the Joanna Briggs Institute of Evidence-Based Practice (JBI) (http://joannabriggs.org/about.html). A review protocol was first compiled and reviewed by the editorial review board. A three-step search strategy was utilized in this review. An initial limited search of the Joanna Briggs Library, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Dissertation Database was undertaken, followed by analysis of the text words contained in the title and abstract and of the index terms used to describe the article. A second search using all identified keywords and index terms was undertaken across all included databases. Keywords included role, transition, nursing education, clinician, lecturer and academic nurse educator. Studies were included that had an interpretive research design and whose population focus was masters or doctorally-prepared nurse clinicians who had practiced for at least five years and who were identified as novice nursing faculty and/or were in their first three to five years as a nursing faculty in an institution of higher education (e.g. college or university). The screening process yielded 13 studies that met the inclusion criteria. After critical appraisal by the reviewers, 11 high quality studies were selected to be included in this metasynthesis. Results: The metasynthesis of the 11 primary studies yielded 119 findings that were organized into 18 categories describing clinicians’ experience of the transition to academic nurse educator. Categories were then aggregated into four synthesized findings or themes: unprepared to teach (five categories; 37 findings); no longer an expert (four categories; 16 findings); in search of mentoring (six categories; 34 findings); and from surviving to thriving (three categories, 12 findings). Discussion: New faculty felt unprepared for the workload, for relating to students as their teacher, and for the differences between teaching and practice. They were no longer experts, which elicited fears of failure and losing their clinical expertise. Although mentoring was identified as an essential component to successful transition, no mentoring was a common experience. A healthy transition was characterized by embracing a new identity and beginning to thrive as a nurse educator. Conclusion: Expert nurse clinicians are an important resource for easing the faculty shortage. However, they often are left on their own to navigate becoming a nurse educator. To ease their transition, the academy must create welcoming communities that provide ongoing orientation to the academic culture, intentional mentoring, and professional development in teaching and learning.

Reflections of Evidence-Based Practice in Nurse Educators' Teaching Philosophy Statements.

This article focuses on the nature and importance of evidence-based practice (EBP) as described in the teaching philosophy statements of academic nurse educators (ANEs). EBP is a core competency identified by the Institute of Medicine. Its incorporation into teaching philosophies expresses ANEs' ideas, values, and practices. A mixed-method design using an online survey was used to collect and analyze demographic data and teaching philosophy statements from 375 ANEs. Coding was done via direct correct analysis. Themes were identified to capture the essence of the coded statements. EBP and its components were mentioned 275 times collectively; 44 ANEs specifically mentioned EBP in their teaching philosophies. other components were mentioned more frequently. three themes emerged: keeping up-to-date, setting up student success with EBP, and EBP as a teaching approach. The incorporation of EBP and its components was not widely acknowledged by ANEs.

Integrating Your Experience and Opportunities to Prepare for Nurse Educator Certification

Certification is accepted as a universal affirmation of expertise. Nurse educators validate and demonstrate expertise in nursing education by earning the Certified Nurse Educator credential offered through the National League for Nursing's Academic Nurse Educator Certification Program. Educators can prepare to achieve success in certification by reviewing eligibility requirements, creating an individual preparation plan, and using integrated, evidence-based learning strategies.

From Committee to Commission: The History of the NLN's Academic Certified Nurse Educator Program

To describe the historical events surrounding the development of the National League for Nursing (NLN) Academic Nurse Educator Certification Program (ANECP) and document its transition from a committee to a commission. During the latter half of the 20th century, certification became a demonstrated standard of excellence in nursing. A few visionaries suggested that nursing education itself was a specialty, but the timing for certification was not right. The events have been studied through three primary sources: archived minutes, oral interviews, and the authors' eyewitness accounts. Growing pains, personnel changes and the rapid growth from committee to commission occurred during a few short years. While the NLN made sound decisions during the change process by seeking evidence and the guidance of experts and consultants, unexpected challenges occurred. The tremendous growth of the ANECP in its first years demonstrated that change was clearly desired so long as it was anchored in an evidence-based process focused on quality.

From Committee to Commission: The History of the NLNʼs Academic Certified Nurse Educator Program

AIM To describe the historical events surrounding the development of the National League for Nursing (NLN) Academic Nurse Educator Certification Program (ANECP) and document its transition from a committee to a commission. BACKGROUND During the latter half of the 20th century, certification became a demonstrated standard of excellence in nursing. A few visionaries suggested that nursing education itself was a specialty, but the timing for certification was not right. METHOD The events have been studied through three primary sources: archived minutes, oral interviews, and the authors' eyewitness accounts. RESULTS Growing pains, personnel changes and the rapid growth from committee to commission occurred during a few short years. While the NLN made sound decisions during the change process by seeking evidence and the guidance of experts and consultants, unexpected challenges occurred. CONCLUSION The tremendous growth of the ANECP in its first years demonstrated that change was clearly desired so long as it was anchored in an evidence-based process focused on quality.

Practice and Academic Nurse Educators: Finding Common Ground

Two university-based schools of nursing and two healthcare regions, supported by a nurses' union, have formed an intersectoral collaboration to develop a practice educator curriculum. The curriculum is designed to increase educator capacity and practice-academic relationships. This article describes the preliminary groundwork among intersectoral partners. Practice and academic educators do not always recognize each others' expertise or share resources effectively. An online survey and focus groups were conducted to identify educators' similar successes and challenges, their perspectives of key criteria necessary to establish practice-academic collaborations and learning environments, and intent to leave. The findings revealed many similarities across sectors, although practice and academic educators had different foci or perspectives that will need to be bridged by the collaboration. Strategies are suggested to maximize educators' commonalities, provide better supports to minimize intent to leave, and ensure sustainability.

Defining the professional responsibilities of academic nurse educators: The results of a national practice analysis.

In February 2005, the National League for Nursing's Academic Nurse Educator Certification Program and its testing service partner, Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc. (AMP), conducted a study designed to determine the professional practice responsibilities of academic nurse educators. The results of this national practice analysis, reported here, provided the initial information required to ensure the development of a practice-related, content-valid certification examination for academic nurse educators.