An Exploration of the Professional Identity of Nurse Lecturers in the Irish Higher Education Setting

The purpose of this study is to explore the professional identity of nurse lecturers in the Irish higher education setting which includes both universities and institutes of technology. An experience-centred narrative research approach was used. Data were gathered from seventeen nurse lecturers using semi-structured focus group and individual interviews and a participant survey. A thematic narrative analysis of the data, using ATLAS.ti, resulted in the identification of eight main themes and their associated sub-themes. The main themes are context, role, identity, change, nursing, teaching, clinical practice and communities of practice. A number of theories and concepts relating to identity, social identity, professional/academic identity formation and communities of practice were used to analyse the data. Results suggest that nurse lecturers have fragmented identities. They describe teaching as their main priority despite evidence from their narrative texts to suggest that teaching is not valued in the higher education setting. There appears to be an emphasis on research instead. Whilst communities of practice exist in universities and institutes of technology nurse lecturers articulate significant differences on how they are perceived in each sector. There is evidence to support the presence of academic incivility and oppressed group behaviour particularly in the university sector. Based on these findings the presence of academic incivility and oppressed group behaviour within the university sector needs to be addressed by academic leaders. The tension which exists between teaching and research may be addressed through a review of workload models, facilitation of lecturers to engage in research and the recognition and reward of teaching excellence.