Strategies to enhance the success of mid-career nurse scientists

BackgroundThe mid-career nurse scientist, defined as an associate professor with/without tenure, is often faced with a multitude of challenges and opportunitiesPurposeThis paper shares strategies to assist mid-career scientists as they juggle required career demands and navigate the mid-career phase in pursuit of the rank of full professor.MethodA review of the literature was performed on mid-career nurse scientists.DiscussionA combination of increased research responsibilities, increased institutional teaching and service demands, and dwindling support can result in a sense of overwhelm and burnout. The mid-career nurse scientist must balance several balls in the air at one time to remain successful.ConclusionStrategies aligned with the Ecological Framework, focus on intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, organizational, and public policy domains to provide a wide scope of strategies that target the mid-career scientist and engage the larger nursing community.     

Call to action to support the success of midcareer nurse scientists

Mid-career nurse scientists in academia are at risk for burnout and departing scientific careers, particularly those in research-intensive academic settings. With the shortage of nursing faculty and the public health need for high-quality nursing research, it is critical to retain current research-focused individuals in nursing. In this paper, we discuss definitions and expectations of mid-career scientists, challenges and barriers faced by mid-career scientists, and opportunities for mid-career scientists, informed by both nursing and non-nursing literature. Finally, we focus on definitions and expectations, challenges, and opportunities specifically related to mid-career nurse scientists in research-intensive academic settings.     

The perceived reality and environment of the mid-career nurse scientist

Background/PurposeA qualitative study was designed to explore facilitators and barriers to success from the perspectives of self-identified mid-career nurse scientists.MethodsData were collected from 84 respondents using open-ended items as part of an electronic survey of self-identified mid-career nurse scientists who were members of regional nursing research societies.Discussion/ConclusionTwo main themes emerged: “Perceived Realities” and “What's Needed to Achieve Career Success.” Mid-career nurse scientists experience both joy from teaching and research roles and dissatisfaction with research support; difficulty balancing heavy teaching workload, administrative responsibilities, and research, and ineffective mentoring. Based on the challenges in their environment, respondents identified numerous ways to enhance career success including (1) increasing or enhancing release time for research activities, (2) formal infrastructure to support research activities, and (3) targeted, effective mentoring by senior scientists.     

Preparing the nurse scientist for academia and industry

The number of doctoral programs in nursing has been increasing. However, these programs tend to focus on preparing nurse scientists to conduct research, and many spend little time preparing doctoral students for the educator, clinical researcher, or administrator role. Leaders of doctoral programs have identified the need to prepare doctoral students in the functional roles they will assume upon graduation, in addition to the researcher role. This article describes a two-course (six-credit) sequence of courses within a research-focused PhD in Nursing program that provides didactic and experiential knowledge about the role of the nurse scientist in academia and industry settings. Students are highly satisfied with the courses, and report that the experiences have provided them with important knowledge and skills as they assume the scientist role.     

Sexual harassment in academia: legal and administrative challenges.

Guidelines and institutional policies regarding sexual harassment in academia have a relatively short and controversial background. Deference to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines in employment sexual harassment incidents guides much of the thinking in contemporary courts. Title IX of the Educational Amendments and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 are but two of the legal redresses available to students with harassment grievance complaints. Lack of definition of the term as well as research studies in nursing complicate the issue of sexual harassment. The potential impact of harassment on nursing students both in the classroom and in the practice area is significant. Nursing administrators and educators must be proactive in writing and implementing policies regarding sexual harassment.     

Nurse scientists overcoming challenges to lead transdisciplinary research teams

Increasingly, scientific funding agencies are requiring that researchers move toward an integrated, transdisciplinary team science paradigm. Although the barriers to and rewards of conducting this type of research have been discussed in the literature, examples of how nurse investigators have led these teams to reconcile the differences in theoretical, methodological, and/or analytic perspectives that inevitably exist are lacking. In this article, we describe these developmental trajectory challenges through a case study of one transdisciplinary team, focusing on team member characteristics and the leadership tasks associated with successful transdisciplinary science teams in the literature. Specifically, we describe how overcoming these challenges has been essential to examining the complex and potentially cumulative effects that key intersections between legal, social welfare, and labor market systems may have on the health of disadvantaged women. Finally, we discuss this difficult but rewarding work within the context of lessons learned and transdisciplinary team research in relation to the future of nursing science.     

A training program for nurse scientists to promote intervention translation

Background

To reduce the burden of chronic illness, prevention and management interventions must be efficacious, adopted and implemented with fidelity, and reach those at greatest risk. Yet, many research-tested interventions are slow to translate into practice.

Predicting registered nurse job satisfaction and intent to leave

BACKGROUND: Nurse job dissatisfaction has been the primary predictor of intent to leave; however, although many predictors of job satisfaction have been identified, little is known about the influence of variable nurse attitudes, such as psychological empowerment and hardiness, on job satisfaction. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative influence of nurse attitudes, context of care, and structure of care on job satisfaction and intent to leave. METHODS: A nonexperimental, predictive design evaluated these relationships in a nonrandom sample of 90 registered staff nurses using instruments with known psychometric properties. RESULTS: The major predictor of intent to leave was job dissatisfaction, and the major predictor of job satisfaction was psychological empowerment. Predictors of psychological empowerment were hardiness, transformational leadership style, nurse/physician collaboration, and group cohesion. CONCLUSIONS: Results supported the influence of nurse attitude on job satisfaction relative to other contributing factors.     

Changes in nurse satisfaction in California, 2004 to 2008

Spetz J. & Herrera C. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management 18 , 564–572
Changes in nurse satisfaction in California, 2004 to 2008 Aim To examine whether there were improvements in the satisfaction of hospital-employed registered nurses (RNs) in the mid-2000s. Background In recent years, many hospitals have made efforts to improve workplace characteristics, in order to improve nurse satisfaction and retention. There has also been legislative activity to regulate workplace practices that are associated with satisfaction and turnover. Methods Data from surveys conducted by the California Board of Registered Nursing from 2004, 2006 and 2008 were analysed for hospital-employed registered nurses. Satisfaction is measured with 30 items on a five-point Likert Scale. Data were analysed using t-tests and logistic regression. Results Average nurse satisfaction improved with most survey items. There was deterioration in satisfaction with some items. Controlling for family, job and demographic characteristics, the odds of a nurse being satisfied or very satisfied with their job overall were 25% higher in 2008 than in 2004. Conclusions There were improvements in most aspects of nurse satisfaction between 2004 and 2008. Implications for nursing management Efforts to improve workplace conditions in the 2000s appear to have been effective in improving overall job satisfaction and satisfaction with a number of specific factors. However, some areas for improvement continue to be evident.     

Benefits and challenges of nurse prescribing

BACKGROUND: Since 1999, all health visitors and district nurses in the United Kingdom (UK) have received additional education to permit their registration as independent prescribers from a limited list of medicinal products. Little research has investigated how more than 20 000 health visitor and district nurse prescribers have implemented their new role since the evaluation of the pilot sites. AIMS: The aims of the study were to describe prescribing practices of health visitors and district nurses, the factors (contextual and professional) which enable and facilitate nurse prescribing, and views about the Nurse Prescribers' Formulary. METHOD: A mail survey was conducted of all health visitors and district nurses working in three trusts in southern England. A 74% response rate was achieved (n = 91). FINDINGS: Most respondents prescribed less than three times a week, with district nurses prescribing significantly more than health visitors (P 相似文献