An Exploration of the Transition of Clinical Nurses to an Academic Nurse Lecturer Role

This qualitative study was conducted with eight professional nurses who transitioned from clinical practice to full-time lecturing in higher education. The study aimed to establish how nurse lecturers experience this major transition. Qualitative questionnaires were analyzed thematically. Four themes that collectively encapsulate the transitioning journey emerged: embarking on a career change, the transitioning period, supporting each other, and communication. Interwoven within the data was evidence that an informal community of practice developed and was the primary means of initial support and ongoing guidance, positively influencing the lecturers' engagement and progression in their new career.