Nurturing an evolving identity through role transition: A hermeneutic phenomenological exploration of the lived experiences of nurse academics working in UK universities.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, there are challenges in sustaining an effectively educated nursing workforce. The UK faces significant challenges recruiting and retaining nurse academics, with lack of role clarity, unclear career pathways and busy workloads contributing to attrition from higher education. A stable nurse professional role identity enhances role satisfaction however moving to a university work context can be challenging. More research was needed to understand experiences of this transition and the nurse academic role.

AIM: This study aimed to understand registered nurse academics' perceptions of their university work experience, their experiences of transition from clinical practice and how this influenced their nursing identity.

DESIGN: A hermeneutic phenomenological research design within an interpretive paradigm enabled an in-depth exploration of the lived experience of participants.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A purposive sample of thirty registered adult nurses from three UK universities participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed, informed by the hermeneutic circle.

FINDINGS: Four themes were identified: nurse academic identity, service culture of nursing, influence of others, and competence. Analysis showed that the early years of transition are a critical period of professional nurse identity redefinition. Inadequate support during this phase contributed to negative experiences affecting identity. A new nurse academic identity formation framework provides theoretical insights into how professional identity is influenced during transitions to a nurse academic role. It highlights the interplay of being a professional (in this case a nurse), organisational socialisation, social identity switching, and job satisfaction.

CONCLUSION: Retention of nurse academics in roles in higher education can be supported through a nursing focused induction which is culturally and context sensitive, enabling them to develop a strong stable nurse academic identity. These findings have resonance for other professions where the transition of individuals from practice delivery settings to academic roles in universities.