| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2680488 | Teaching and Learning in Nursing | 2011 | 7 Pages |
The purpose of the qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the experience of the novice nursing faculty member in an associate degree nursing program. Novice nursing faculty (N = 6) in a community college setting, with 1 to 2 years of experience in a full-time faculty position, were interviewed. Included in the study were field notes and a demographic survey. A phenomenological approach, based on the Colaizzi's School of phenomenology, was used to analyze the data. Four themes emerged: Theme 1—Dancing as Fast as I Can: The Great Learning Curve; Theme 2—Importance of the Team: The Need for Support; Theme 3—From Expert Clinician to Novice Educator: The Role Transition; Theme 4—Meeting Student Needs: The Balance in Faculty/Student Relationships; Theme 5—A Love of Teaching: The Desire to Continue. Study outcomes provide meaning for the establishment of evidence-based methods designed to attract, nurture, and retain nursing educators in associate degree education. Implications for practice, education, and research center on long-term faculty and administrative support for the novice educator. Future research in associate degree nursing education is warranted to further examine the benefits of a functioning team, to study the dynamics of faculty–student relationships, and to explore additional methods to bridge the disconnect between the clinical and academic role.
