The Pilgrim’s Progress: early-career academic nurses’ journey of shaping, strengthening and sustaining a career mindset
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2021
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𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱
There is an emerging body of literature on the experiences of early career academic nurses with a particular focus on their learning needs and how they can best be supported as they compete for success in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment. Managing an academic career can be challenging and there is a need to fully understand the attitudes, abilities and habits that contribute to a successful career mindset. This knowledge will benefit both early career academics and higher education providers wishing to implement supportive interventions aimed at capacity building and retention.
𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀
The aim of the study was to explore their experiences of shaping, strengthening and sustaining career growth. A systematic literature review followed by a four phase-study was undertaken. Phase one explored the early career academic nurses’ initial career journey. In phase two a supportive educational intervention was trialled and critically evaluated. Phase three consisted of collective narratives that identified key elements of participants’ growth mindset’ and how it intersected with their career success; and Phase four was added using a narrative-based approach to represent the early career academic nurses’ progress. A qualitative descriptive design was used with data thematically analysed using the six-phase approach of Braun and Clarke (2012). This thesis is presented as a compilation of chapters and publications.
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
Early career academic nurses spend a great deal of time and energy aiming to construct a successful career. A supportive educational program that facilitated the development of attributes that support a growth mindset was found to engender success and generate opportunities for career progress. A ‘growth mindset’ was viewed as the best way to understand and enhance personal abilities that assist with strengthening and sustaining the academic journey. The early career academic nurses in this study viewed support as a range of factors and learning opportunities that allowed them to shape and strengthen their individual career path.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
This study adds to the literature about early career academic nurse’s long-term experiences in undertaking an academic career. It identified that building a successful academic career demands input from both the individuals and senior leadership. While the early career academic nurses must seek to develop dispositions to meet demands that accompany an academic career, higher education providers need to implement programs and supportive strategies that enhance the skills and abilities of early career academic nurses to promote their success and retention.
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