Global Scholarship: The Challenges for Nursing and the Value of STTI

Rosser, Elizabeth Anne

Background: Globally, professional nursing is facing a number of significant and complex challenges. Issues such as workforce shortages, increasing patient acuity, ongoing reduction of resources and poor quality of professional work life combine to have a greater influence on patient care than the effect of each one in isolation (Mannix et al, 2013; Aitken et al, 2013). Although not just a nursing issue, evidence from various reports, especially in the United Kingdom (UK), indicate that in combination these challenges can result in gross failure in the ‘system’ leading to unacceptable and in some situations, inhumane, patient care (Francis 2010, 2013; Rudman et al, 2012). Although there is no simple solution to this failure, learning from our colleagues worldwide, seems a reasonable way forward to strengthen nursing leadership (Jackson & Watson 2009) and support change through the use of evidence-based practice (Tame, 2013).

The aim is to report the views of members of Phi Mu Chapter (England) of the global nursing honor society Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) as an organisation, and the resources they provide, and how they would like to see the Chapter develop in the context of STTI’s 2020 vision to become intentionally global.

Design and methods: All members of the Phi Mu Chapter (England) (n=71) were invited to participate in the study by way of an email invitation containing a link to the online survey. Participant information was provided and consent obtained on the “landing page” for the survey. The online questionnaire delivered through the SurveyMonkey tool was designed to mirror a European Regional survey conducted in 2012 and contained a series of closed and open questions.

Findings: Responses were received from 31 of the 71 members (44%). The majority of participants joined STTI because they believed in its mission and it offered them the prospect of networking with like-minded individuals. The potential for global reach was attractive as a potential to influence the profession world wide. The three themes arising from the survey were: a) the promotion of scholarship b) the value of networking and c) communication and the development of culturally sensitive organisations.

Conclusions: From the England perspective, this paper summarises evidence of members’ views of the value of STTI to nursing. There was strong support for the Chapter to energise stronger links between education and practice to promote scholarly inquiry and evidence-based practice. Through effective collaboration, strong leadership could be encouraged. Given the complex and significant challenges to nursing, this new chapter is keen to embrace the global agenda and support the wider society in becoming more culturally sensitive.

Clinical Relevance: Whilst the immediate access to a real and available global community through the world wide web might negate the need for an honour society, the Phi Mu Chapter (England) offers the opportunity to connect real individuals to join in their collaboration to strengthen clinical leadership and scholarship to improve the health of the world’s people.