Transitioning from Departments to Schools of Nursing: A Qualitative Analysis of Journeys by Ten Deans

Transitioning from a department to a school of nursing creates an environment that is more conducive to attracting qualified faculty and enhancing program growth to meet the projected nursing workforce needs. A comprehensive review of the literature revealed limited research to guide nursing programs considering this transition. This qualitative study explored the conditions and outcomes associated with successful or unsuccessful attempts to transition from a department to school of nursing from the perspective of 10 deans affiliated with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Meleis' transitions theory (2010) guided this study in its exploration of facilitating and inhibiting conditions. With institutional review board approval and participant permission, interviews were conducted in-person or by telephone, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were independently reviewed and coded for emerging themes. Content analysis revealed the following themes: titles matter, support is essential, voice at the table, buy-in or dissension, it just brings nursing to totally different level, think differently, and legitimizing your position. For these deans, consideration of the facilitating and inhibiting conditions is critical in determining whether decisions are favorable and in support of the transition. Developing an understanding from the experiences of these 10 deans offers guidance to nursing academic administrators who are contemplating transitioning from a department to a school of nursing. Future research is needed to explore conditions relative to faculty governance and infrastructure, examine the experiences of those undergoing transitions, and expand study findings to develop a self-study guide for programs in assessing their readiness for such a transition.