Experiences described by novice teaching academic staff in baccalaureate nursing education: a focus on mentoring

As the nursing faculty shortage grows, teaching academic staff (TAS) increasingly fill vacant faculty positions. The TAS have limited employment contracts and are usually master's prepared; although they are well grounded in nursing practice, they often are inadequately prepared and minimally supported in an academic teaching position. No study could be found in which the experiences and mentorship of novice TAS in baccalaureate nursing programs were explored. Understanding these issues is essential to guiding approaches that would enhance retention and strengthen the quality of nursing education. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of novice TAS in baccalaureate nursing programs and how those experiences compare to their expectations and needs, with a focus on mentoring experiences. A descriptive qualitative design with focus group interviews was used with 10 participants from three settings participating in the study. Five categories emerged from the data: feelings, preparation for role and expectations, resources, challenges, and mentorship. Implications, a comparison with existing literature, and suggestions for further research are identified.