A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Nurse Educators with Prior Military Careers

225 Pages·2017·1.38 MB·English

A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF NURSE
EDUCATORS WITH PRIOR MILITARY CAREERS

by
Susan F. Ball
Liberty University

A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Education

Liberty University
2017
2

A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF NURSE
EDUCATORS WITH PRIOR MILITARY CAREERS
by Susan F. Ball

A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Education

Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
2017

APPROVED BY:

Cynthia A. Goodrich, Ed.D., MSN, RN, CNE, Committee Chair

Deanna L. Keith, Ed.D., M.Ed., Committee Member

Cynthia A. Dyson, Ed.D, MSN, RN, CNE, Committee Member
3

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of nurse
educators with prior military careers at various public and private colleges in the South Carolina,
North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Indiana. The theory guiding this study was
the concept of servant leadership explored first by Robert Greenleaf in 1977, and later expanded
upon by numerous other researchers. The study was designed to answer four research questions:
(a) What does it mean to be a nurse educator with a prior military career? (b) What drives
individuals to choose nursing, military service, and nursing education as careers? (c) What
similarities exist in behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs of nurse educators with prior military
careers? (d) How do nurses, military members, and nurse educators lead by serving? Ten nurse
educator participants with prior military careers were interviewed, along with their colleagues
and students; participants were observed instructing students in their classrooms, and written
documents were reviewed to ascertain commonalities and shared meaning of their experiences.
Data were analyzed through coding and horizonalization which resulted in theme development
and a composite description of the phenomenon. Eight themes emerged: Managing the
Dichotomy, Growing the Next Generation, Leaving a Legacy, Connecting with Students,
Protecting Students, Leading by Example, Fulfilling the Mission, and Going Above and Beyond.
Findings indicated the existence of servant leadership attributes as key elements of the manner in
which participants experienced the role of nurse educator following a military career. Results of
the study provided a foundation for the potential recruitment of retired military nurses into
nursing education as a means of eliminating the nursing faculty shortage.
Keywords: Servant leadership, nursing faculty shortage, growing the next generation,
retired military nurses
4

Dedication
To all of the nurse educators who have previously served or are currently serving this
country as military members, I salute you. Your commitment to serving patients, families,
students, and communities is the foundation upon which the next generation of nurses will be
built. Your legacy will live on in the nurses you help grow and in the patients that receive
excellent care from them. Lead on, warrior medics.
5

Acknowledgments
This academic journey was made possible by a supporting cast of characters who played
critical roles in helping me complete this study. I am forever grateful for the time and love they
invested in me along the way. First of all, thank you to my committee chair, Dr. Goodrich, for
your unwavering support, gentle nudges, and expert guidance. Your encouraging words were the
fuel I needed to keep me going when my tank was empty. Drs. Keith and Dyson, thank you for
giving your precious time and words of wisdom to ensure my study was sound and
communicated clearly. I feel truly blessed to have had you on my team.
Thank you also to my colleagues at Charleston Southern University College of Nursing
who cheered me on and prayed for me over the last two years as I lived the dissertation process.
You may never know how much your kind words and authentic support meant to me.
While my doctoral journey started in 2011, it truly began in my home more than fifty
years ago when my parents instilled in me a desire to never settle for “good enough,” but to
always strive for the best. Their high expectations and constant emotional support have carried
me through the worst of times and the best of times. I love you with all of my heart.
Jeff, Chandler, and Abbie, thank you for loving me unconditionally and walking this
arduous journey with me, every step of the way. Thank you for giving me the time and space to
withdraw from family responsibilities to complete this study. You inspire me to be a better wife,
a better mom, and a better person. I love you more than you can ever know.
Lastly, but most importantly, I am grateful to God and to my Savior, Jesus Christ, for
blessing me with the opportunity to pursue my dreams at Liberty University. I am completely
unworthy, yet eternally grateful, for the love, redemption, and blessings I have received.
6

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT .....................................................................................................................................3
Dedication ............................................................................................................................4
Acknowledgments................................................................................................................5
List of Tables .....................................................................................................................11
List of Figures ....................................................................................................................12
List of Abbreviations .........................................................................................................13
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................14
Overview ............................................................................................................................14
Background ........................................................................................................................14
Situation to Self .................................................................................................................19
Problem Statement ............................................................................................................21
Purpose Statement .............................................................................................................22
Significance of the Study ..................................................................................................23
Research Questions ...........................................................................................................24
Research Plan ....................................................................................................................26
Delimitations ......................................................................................................................27
Definitions .........................................................................................................................28
Summary ...........................................................................................................................29
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................................31
Overview ...........................................................................................................................31
Theoretical Framework .....................................................................................................32
Related Literature ..............................................................................................................41
7

Nurses as Servant Leaders ....................................................................................41
Educators as Servant Leaders ...............................................................................51
Nurse Educators as Servant Leaders .....................................................................55
Servant Leadership and Military Members ...........................................................57
Nursing Faculty Shortage .....................................................................................62
Summary ...........................................................................................................................65
CHAPTER THREE: METHODS .................................................................................................68
Overview ...........................................................................................................................68
Design ...............................................................................................................................68
Research Questions ...........................................................................................................69
Setting ...............................................................................................................................70
Participants ........................................................................................................................71
Procedures .........................................................................................................................74
The Researcher’s Role ......................................................................................................76
Data Collection .................................................................................................................77
Interviews with Nurse Educators ..........................................................................79
Observations .........................................................................................................85
Interviews with Colleagues and Students .............................................................87
Document Analysis ...............................................................................................91
Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................92
Reflective Field Notes ...........................................................................................92
Open Coding .........................................................................................................93
Representing the Data ...........................................................................................95
8

Trustworthiness .................................................................................................................95
Credibility .............................................................................................................95
Dependability ........................................................................................................95
Transferability .......................................................................................................96
Confirmability .......................................................................................................96
Ethical Considerations ......................................................................................................97
Summary ...........................................................................................................................99
CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS .................................................................................................101
Overview .........................................................................................................................101
Participants ......................................................................................................................101
Daniel ..................................................................................................................101
Miriam .................................................................................................................102
Ruth .....................................................................................................................103
Matthew ..............................................................................................................104
Abigail .................................................................................................................104
Lydia ...................................................................................................................105
Luke ....................................................................................................................106
Esther ..................................................................................................................107
Naomi ..................................................................................................................108
Sarah ...................................................................................................................108
Nurse Educator Colleague Participants ..............................................................109
Nurse Educator Student Participants ...................................................................110
Results .............................................................................................................................110
9

Theme Development ...........................................................................................121
Research Questions .............................................................................................139
Textural Descriptions ..........................................................................................160
Structural Descriptions ........................................................................................168
The Essence of the Lived Experiences ...............................................................171
Composite Description of the Lived Experiences ..............................................172
Representation of Data ........................................................................................173
Summary .........................................................................................................................175
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............176
Overview .........................................................................................................................176
Summary of Findings ......................................................................................................176
Discussion .......................................................................................................................177
Findings Related to Theoretical Framework .......................................................178
Findings Related to Empirical Literature ............................................................182
Implications .....................................................................................................................185
Institutions of Higher Education .........................................................................186
Legislation ...........................................................................................................188
Military Transition Assistance Programs.............................................................188
Limitations ......................................................................................................................189
Recommendations for Future Research ..........................................................................190
Summary .........................................................................................................................191
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................192
APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................205
10

Appendix A: IRB Approval ...........................................................................................205
Appendix B: Nurse Educator Recruitment Email ..........................................................206
Appendix C: Consent Form for Nurse Educator Participants ........................................207
Appendix D: Recruitment Email for Nurse Educator Colleagues .................................209
Appendix E: Recruitment Email for Nurse Educator Students .....................................210
Appendix F: Consent Form for Nurse Educator Colleagues ..........................................211
Appendix G: Consent Form for Nurse Educator Students .............................................213
Appendix H: Interview Protocol ....................................................................................215
Appendix I: Observation Protocol .................................................................................224