The Clinical Role of Nurse Teachers in Iran: A Triangulation Study.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: The importance of the clinical teaching in nursing and unsuccessfulness of it, especially after transferring traditional education (hospital -based) to higher education in which the clinical role for nurse teachers hasn't been properly defined, were our reasons for carrying out this study. The goals of this study were to percept the clinical role of the nurse teachers and the process of it. Method: Triangulation composes the base of this research. First a qualitative study was performed on nurse teachers (15 participants) which selected by a theoretical sampling. Data were collected by in –depth and informal interview and analyzed through the use of grounded theory method. After extracting the conceptual categories, this study was repeated on 6 others participations (nurse students and nursing personnel), but an additional category wasn't accrued. A quantitative study was conducted and an instrument was developed through the use of qualitative findings and review of literature. There were four parts to this instrument: clinical teaching, classroom teaching, educational management and research. The design goals were to confirm qualitative findings and to obtain exact recommendations. Results: The core concept of this study "professional identity" was concerned with the nurse teacher's perception from profession and the clinical role. They reported it as "description/ theory –oriented or practice –oriented identity". The quantitate study demonstrated that theory –oriented identity is dominant 63.1%. Also it seems role clarity, professional autonomy and clinical credibility themes play an important role in taking form of professional identity. However, it is possible that nurse teacher's identity conflict with nurse's identity. Therefore, some teacher's use of fit in mechanisms. Unfortunately, these strategies banish them from real educational goals. For example, the clinical teaching outcome was pronounced as weak 37.9% and moderate 55.2%. Furthermore, the most nurse teachers 93.4% had an apathetic attitude to their clinical role (the affective part of the clinical role) and complained of overload in their clinical role (the instrumental part of the clinical role). Discussion and Conclusion: The nurse teachers had problems in achieving to role mastery owing reported difficulties for the instrumental and affective part of the role, according to the job motivation model, role clarity and professional autonomy are very important for motivating personnel in jobs. Unfortunately these two findings weren't desirable in our studies, therefore it is possible to conclude that the nurse teaches didn’t have necessary qualities of motivation in their clinical role. The literature review indicated that there are not enough professional and organization guideline, therefore it advises that education and service sector leaders should develop a complete model for clinical teaching by considering professional and organizational viewpoints and used models in nursing and others professions, until we can promote the nurse teachers motivation in clinical education and outcome.