The Experiences of Irish Nurse Lecturers Role Transition from Clinician to Educator

Abstract

Described in this study are the experiences of six clinical nurses in Ireland who have transi-tioned to the role of nurse lecturer. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data from these novice nurse lecturers. Data were analyzed manually and thematically, generating five emerging themes: feelings experienced during the transition; educational preparation for the role; actual and potential support structures available; hindering factors of the role; and the overall transition experience. Negative feelings and experiences encountered were found to decrease as participants accepted their role change, gained experience in their new role, and became more familiar with their work environment