| Popis: |
Nurse teachers work and learn in a complex socio-cultural landscape shaped by clinical practice and higher education as first and second order fields of practice. As a recognised specialism of nursing, nurse teacher preparation forms a crucial phase in nurse teacher development leading to professional recognition with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. However, the influence of such preparation in shaping the professional identity of nurse teachers is indistinct within the research landscape while the experience of nurses who are situated in clinical practice whilst undertaking nurse teacher preparation is under-represented. This research is positioned within socio-cultural and interpretivist frames and seeks to critically explore the personal, learning and professional contexts which shape the professional identity of newly qualified nurse teachers during and on completion of nurse teacher preparation. Drawing on a purposive sample of six newly qualified nurse teachers and five experienced nurse teachers, the multiple embedded case study adopts individual and focus group interviews and portfolio documents to elucidate perspectives on professional identity. The findings from cross case synthesis reveal professional identity to be a relational phenomenon shaped through mutual constitution of self and the nurse teacher landscape. Personal, learning and professional contexts distinguish this landscape from which eight contextual strands emerge as shaping the professional identity of NQNTs. Essentially, these strands connect the personal and professional in learning to teach. Conclusions from the study findings highlight areas for future research and recommendations for professional practice. |
