Globally, there is a lack of suitably qualified nurse faculty to bridge the looming worldwide mass exit of retiring nurses from the workforce; and this shortage is likely to worsen with increasing student enrolments (Nardi & Gyurko, 2013). One strategy to overcome this shortfall is to recruit nurse academics from the pool of clinical staff. However, despite being expert nurse clinicians, having vast knowledge and specialist skills does not ensure successful transition and enculturation into the academy, as reflected by reports of role strain and high stress levels of new academics, which negatively impact retention (Chung & Kowalski, 2012). These issues are further aggravated by the increasing expectation and pressure to expand research capacity (Cacchione, 2015).
Early career development including effective on-boarding and mentorship programs are strategies that have been used to promote transition success of clinical nurses who are transitioning to the academy (Gardner, 2014).
Purpose:
This integrative review aimed to synthesize both quantitative and qualitative evidence of academic development programs that have been shown to be effective in facilitating the successful transition of expert nurse clinicians into the academy.
Methods:
Databases including MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, ERIC, and Scopus were systematically searched using controlled vocabulary and keywords. Papers published from 2012-2017 were included. Papers were selected for the review if they meet the following criteria: (1) peer-reviewed journal article and (2) discussed effective support strategies or interventions that assisted in the transition of new or novice nursing academics coming from clinical backgrounds.
Results:
Of the eight papers identified, four were quantitative, three used qualitative approaches, and one utilised both methods to address the study aims. Career development programs identified as useful in supporting the successful transition of new nurse academics were characterised by the following elements: a) intensive on-boarding program and assigned mentor support, especially for the first 12 months; b) peer mentorship from academic leaders and researchers; c) internship programs which provided new academics with on-the-job educational advice, guidance, and feedback on teaching; d) resilience-building programs; and e) academic career support to navigate and strategize the promotion and tenure application process.
Conclusion:
This review has identified a need for programs that move beyond orientation and include intensive on-boarding to support the successful transition of nurse clinicians to the academy. While mentorship by experienced teaching faculty was identified as helpful to support new faculty staff in teaching and learning, this review has also identified that more than one mentor may be needed to provide specific support particularly in relation to developing a research profile, and planning for career progression.