From apprentices to academics: are nurses catching up?
In comparison to other disciplines, Australian nursing has only come relatively lately to academia. Traditionally, academic qualifications were not viewed as necessary for nurses. The movement of nursing education to the tertiary sector has seen many changes from the traditional apprenticeship model and the characteristics of nurse-academics reflect these. The researchers identified changes that have occurred in the last five years in nurse-academics' qualifications, academic rank and links between them. It is clear that the goalposts for nurse academics have moved, with a master's degree now standard for Lecturer Level B and a doctorate for Level D. Other findings show a strong link between movement (transfer), increased qualifications and promotion. Females were more likely than males to have increased their qualifications and to be promoted. In terms of academic qualifications in the whole system, female nurse-academics have caught up with their counterparts in the former CAE sector. Male nurse-academics have parity with female nurse-academics but not with males in the system generally. The study shows the great strides that Australian nurse-academics have made in the five years preceding the end of the old millenium but illustrates that they and female academics generally have not yet caught up to their male colleagues.
Roberts
Kay
K
Northern Territory University. kay.roberts@ntu.edu.au
Turnbull
Beverley
B
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003625:Data Collection; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D004522:Educational Status; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D015402:Nursing Education Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires