Chapter 1 Introduction There have been significant changes in nursing, nurse education and higher education in Ireland in recent years. The Commission on Nursing (Government of Ireland 1998) heralded the introduction of new clinical practice roles for nurses in clinical practice, including the creation of clinical nurse specialist and advanced nurse practitioner roles. In addition, the Commission recommended that pre-registration nurse education move to a four year honours degree programme in the higher education setting from 2002. More recently the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (Department of Education and Skills 2011) was published which articulates a clear vision for higher education in Ireland. Prior to 2002 all undergraduate nurse education in Ireland was located in hospital-based Schools of Nursing. Nurse tutors facilitated student learning both in the classroom setting and clinical area. In 2002, nurse tutors had the opportunity to transfer from based Schools of Nursing to the higher education setting. Thirteen Schools/Departments of Nursing were created throughout Ireland in both universities and institutes of technology. In 2002 I transferred as a nurse tutor to a School of Nursing in a large university. Up to that point I had identified myself as a competent critical care practitioner and educationalist. Whilst I was involved in critical care nurse education in the university I began to question my professional identity as I felt that the focus was on teaching and research rather than clinical practice. Many of my colleagues embraced their new roles and did not appear to question their professional identity in the higher education setting. As a result of my experience I developed an interest in professional identity formation, particularly in relation to nurse lecturers in the higher education setting. More detail is provided on research positionality in Chapter 5. The aim of this research study is to explore, using an experienced-centred narrative research approach, the professional identity of nurse lecturers in the Irish higher
Chapter 1 Introduction There have been significant changes in nursing, nurse education and higher education in Ireland in recent years. The Commission on Nursing (Government of Ireland 1998) heralded the introduction of new clinical practice roles for nurses in clinical practice, including the creation of clinical nurse specialist and advanced nurse practitioner roles. In addition, the Commission recommended that pre-registration nurse education move to a four year honours degree programme in the higher education setting from 2002. More recently the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (Department of Education and Skills 2011) was published which articulates a clear vision for higher education in Ireland. Prior to 2002 all undergraduate nurse education in Ireland was located in hospital-based Schools of Nursing. Nurse tutors facilitated student learning both in the classroom setting and clinical area. In 2002, nurse tutors had the opportunity to transfer from Schools of Nursing to the higher education setting. Thirteen Schools/Departments of Nursing were created throughout Ireland in both universities and institutes of technology. In 2002 I transferred as a nurse tutor to a School of Nursing in a large university. Up to that point I had identified myself as a competent critical care practitioner and educationalist. Whilst I was involved in critical care nurse education in the university I began to question my professional identity as I felt that the focus was on teaching and research rather than clinical practice. Many of my colleagues embraced their new roles and did not appear to question their professional identity in the higher education setting. As a result of my experience I developed an interest in professional identity formation, particularly in relation to nurse lecturers in the higher education setting. More detail is provided on research positionality in Chapter 5. The aim of this research study is to explore, using an experienced-centred narrative research approach, the professional identity of nurse lecturers in the Irish higher based
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