Conceptions of being a lecturer in nursing: variation of identities and how these are negotiated during a tutorial

Harness, Susan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8113-3742 (2018) Conceptions of being a lecturer in nursing: variation of identities and how these are negotiated during a tutorial. Doctoral thesis, University of Cumbria (awarding body Lancaster University).

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Abstract

In the UK, lecturers in nursing normally have an extensive clinical background accumulated in the National Health Service. They arrive in the Higher Education sector with little experience of university cultures and practices. The transition into this new world can be traumatic as experienced nurses strive to develop their educational capabilities. This thesis focuses on conceptions of being a lecturer in nursing within higher education. Data was collected for the study through video recorded interviews for each of ten lecturers in nursing based at universities across England and Scotland. For each, a semi-structured interview, a tutorial with a student, and a video stimulated recall and reflect interview took place. The data collection design aimed to get beyond espoused identities by collecting rich data including observation and reflection on practice. A phenomenographic approach was used to analyse semi-structured interview data to identify different ways of being a lecturer in nursing. This resulted in five categories of description of identities in the outcome space: nurse; teacher; academic scholar; researcher; and academic leader. Bourdieusian analysis of how identities are negotiated during tutorials indicated that lecturers in nursing had developed new identities within the field of higher education whilst maintaining their core identity as a nurse. Currently, it appears that there is little provision to support lecturers in nursing during the journey from transition to experienced lecturer in nursing. It is proposed that conceptions of identity are discussed through induction, mentorship and in formal development structures. As lecturers of nursing, the participants in this study occupy boundary-crossing roles on the margins of higher education. The super-complex identities of the lecturers revealed in this study provide useful insight into the life of a contemporary academic. In addition to lecturers in nursing, this study and its findings may be relevant to those in other health professions who move between the NHS and Higher Education. The findings may also transfer to other professions where individuals move sectors, such as between public and private, where further research would be required.

Item Type:	Thesis/Dissertation (Doctoral)
Departments:	Learning Education and Development (LED)
Additional Information:	Thesis submitted to the University of Lancaster for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, January 2018.
Depositing User:	Susan Harness
Date Deposited:	27 Sep 2018 11:21
Last Modified:	12 Jan 2024 19:01
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/4102

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