The Development of a Clinical Nurse Scholar in Baccalaureate Education

•The formation of clinical scholars with strong professional identities holds the key for educational transformation.•Best learning occurs both within and outside of the classroom.•Some faculty teach the way they learned.•We must intentionally rebalance the “Who I Am” with the “What I Do.”•We are all stewards of the profession.

The purpose of this national study was to explore the vision of chief academic officers for baccalaureate nursing education. We invited chief academic nursing officers, randomly selected from a representative sample of accredited baccalaureate nursing programs to participate in the study. Audiotaped interviews were conducted in focus groups at professional meetings or by telephone and were transcribed verbatim. Data collection continued until thematic saturation was reached (N = 29). Analysis of the findings revealed themes that described future vision for baccalaureate education that provides guidance to faculty as they develop curriculum. An overarching theme “We are all Stewards of the Profession” and three supporting themes emerged: “Learning Pathways are Varied,” “Faculty Need to Grow,” and “New Pedagogies Need to Focus on the Development of ‘Who I Am’ as a Clinical Scholar.” Findings point to a future where diverse learning pathways are integrated throughout the curriculum. The curriculum of tomorrow will place greater emphasis on the development of professional identity as a nurse and calls for expanded stewardship for nursing education. Deans recommended that investing time and resources into well-designed faculty development programs will help all faculty, regardless of appointment, to adapt to changing student needs and rapidly evolving practice environments.