The clinical role of lecturers in nursing has been a focus of debate since the integration of nurse education into higher education institutions. The purpose of this paper was to report the findings from the preliminary phase of a study, undertaken to investigate the perceptions of key stakeholder groups in nurse education, regarding the current clinical role of nurse lecturers in Ireland. A descriptive exploratory design was used involving focus group and individual interviews, soliciting views of purposefully selected educationalists, clinicians, policy formulators and students. The issue was examined from a policy perspective, aiming to collectively represent views of all participant groups. This approach facilitated a more complete picture of perceptions of the role to emerge, to better inform future decision making.

    Twenty two focus group interviews and twenty one individual interviews were conducted. Content analysis was used to identify themes. All groups were in agreement that role definition was urgently required to dispel ambiguities surrounding what the clinical role should involve. Conflicting views were evident among groups regarding lecturers’ clinical credibility, visibility and teaching effectiveness. Findings highlight the essential nature of nurse lecturers engaging with clinical areas to maintain their skills, demonstrate a value for the practice component of the role and provide a link between education and practice.

   So we thought lecturers must demonstrate a value for the practice component of the role and the maintenance of clinical credibility appears to be crucial in order to address the theory-practice divide and preserve the right to continue teaching nurses. It behoves nursing educationalists in Ireland to learn by the mistakes made elsewhere and address the serious concerns of other stakeholder groups concerning the way the lecturers clinical role is currently operated.

   Going forward, there needs to be a defined transparent framework for the clinical role of lecturers in nursing formulated in conjunction with key stakeholder groups, encompassing the overarching principle of the application of knowledge to clinical practice, so that we can educate nurses that are ‘fit for purpose’and able to provide high quality, evidence based care to patients.

                                                  Zhang Guihong

                           2009-5-26