Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
Back to contents page
The clinical role of lecturers in nursing in Ireland: How it is
perceived by nurse lecturers.
Pauline Meskell, Department of Nursing & Midwifery, Aras Moyola,
NUI Galway. BSc, MSc.
Phone: 086-8102633 email: p.meskell1@nuigalway.ie
Kathy Murphy, Department of Nursing & Midwifery, Aras Moyola,
NUI Galway. PhD, MSc. Head of School.
Background & context: Movement of schools of nursing into
universities have resulted in increased concerns that the disparity
between education and practice would become more evident. The
clinical role of nurse lecturers has been identified as instrumental in
strengthening the clinical focus of nursing and narrowing the gap
between theory and its application to practice. However, the lack of
a defined clinical framework for lecturers is evident: there is no
available literature pertaining to situation in Ireland. As part of a
larger study looking at the perceptions of key stakeholder groups on
the nurse lecturer’s clinical role, the opinions of nurse lecturers on
their clinical role were solicited.
Aim:
To explore the perceptions of nurse lecturers about their clinical
role, examine the elements that constitute it and the issues which
impact on its administration.
Methodology:
The research is part of a qualitative phase of a sequential mixed
methods study and involved focus group sessions with nurse
lecturers in Ireland. Purposeful sampling was employed. 13
geographically spread focus groups were carried out, average group
size - 7.
Analysis: Verbatim transcriptions of audio-taped focus group
sessions analysed using a content analysis framework.
Summary of key findings: There was strong agreement that the
clinical role needed definition. Visibility was crucial to effective
relationships with clinical staff. Activities involved in the role
included: support, trouble-shooter, educational resource, research
facilitation, committee participation, working with students, audits
and collaborative research. Institutional emphasis was considered to
be on research involvement, funding and publication to the
detriment of the clinical role. There were geographical, institutional
and interdisciplinary variations on the strength of these feelings.
- 564 -