The Meaning of the Lived Experience of Nursing Faculty

182 Pages·2016·1.46 MB·English

by  Deborah Ann Demeester

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
12-1-2012
The Meaning of the Lived Experience of Nursing Faculty on a
Dedicated Education Unit
Deborah Ann Demeester
University of Nevada, Las Vegas,
THE MEANING OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF NURSING FACULTY ON A
DEDICATED EDUCATION UNIT

By

Deborah Ann DeMeester

Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Indiana University
1979

Master of Science in Nursing
Indiana University
1990

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

School of Nursing
Division of Health Sciences
The Graduate College

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
December 2012
Copyright by Deborah Ann DeMeester, 2012
All Rights Reserved
THE GRADUATE COLLEGE

We recommend the dissertation prepared under our supervision by

Deborah Ann DeMeester
entitled
The Meaning of the Lived Experience of Nursing Faculty on a Dedicated Education Unit

be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
School of Nursing

Tish Smyer, D.N.Sc. Committee Chair

Lori Candela Ed.D. Committee Member

Michele Clark, Ph.D. Committee Member

LeAnn Putney, Ph.D. Graduate College Representative

Tom Piechota, Ph.D., Interim Vice President for Research &
Dean of the Graduate College

December 2012

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ABSTRACT

The Meaning of the Lived Experience of Nursing Faculty on a
Dedicated Education Unit

by

Deborah Ann DeMeester

Dr. Tish Smyer, Examination Committee Chair
Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

In 2011, 58,327 qualified applicants were denied admission to U.S. baccalaureate
programs due to an inadequate number of qualified faculty, insufficient clinical
placement sites, and resource constraints. Nursing faculty leaders are being challenged to
increase enrollment to address a projected worsening nursing shortage and to transform
prelicensure nursing education to ensure that program graduates have the nursing skills
and competencies to meet the health care needs of the population.
Collaborative educational partnerships offer promising strategies to diminish the
nursing faculty shortage, educate more students, and provide stable, rich learning
environments. The Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) model is one of these newly
developed educational partnerships between a university and a hospital. As part of this
model, baccalaureate nursing students are immersed in real-life experiences under the
direct supervision of staff nurses who have been trained to be clinical instructors. The
university faculty mentor the staff nurse instructors. The faculty role in a DEU differs
from their role in the traditional faculty-supervised clinical model; therefore, it is
anticipated that faculty may experience a shift in thinking and a period of adaptation to
this new clinical model and learning environment. Studies of transition experiences in
nursing education have revealed that a period of adjustment can be expected for faculty
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who are either new to teaching or new to a different learning platform. The meanings of
the experiences of faculty who teach in the DEU model have not previously been studied.
The purpose of this study was to describe, interpret, and offer insight into the
meanings of the lived experiences of nursing faculty in DEUs across several prelicensure
baccalaureate programs. The phenomenological approach of Max van Manen guided the
inquiry, and Colaizzi’s seven-step method was used to systematically analyze and
interpret the meanings of the hermeneutic faculty interviews. The research question that
guided the study was: What is the meaning and significance of the lived experience of
being a faculty member on a Dedicated Education Unit used for prelicensure
baccalaureate nursing education?
Eight nursing faculty members from seven schools of nursing participated in the
study. The findings gleaned from the interview data analysis led to the development of a
model depicting the fundamental structures of the overall essence of “The DEU as a New
Synergy of Learning: Becoming a Guardian” which includes the three major themes and
a total of nine subthemes. The information gathered in this study will be useful for
faculty members who are preparing to engage in teaching on a DEU and for nursing
education leaders who will be supporting faculty development.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I must acknowledge the support of my wonderful family. My
husband, Gary, has been my rock and my soul mate. He has given me love and
encouragement throughout the 32 years of our marriage. My daughters, Stephanie and
Kimberly, inspired me daily with their intelligence, wit, and passion for life. The three of
us shared a “lived experience” in 2009 as students in our respective doctoral, graduate,
and undergraduate programs. We did it, girls.
I did not know what the future held when I embarked on this journey three years ago.
I knew that I would be challenged intellectually, but the personal challenges were
unanticipated. To all who rallied around me, thank you for helping me find my inner
fierceness to be successful in doctoral studies while enduring chemotherapy, surgery, and
radiation during my first year and the death of my father the second year. I will never
forget the day my IU students all came to class dressed in pink. Thank you to my
parents, Leo and Rita, for giving me life. Thank you to my family, friends, professors,
colleagues, doctoral student peers, and students for enriching my life. Thank you to Dr.
Denman, Dr. Miller, and Dr. Goulet for saving my life.
To my dissertation committee chair, Dr. Tish Smyer, I express my deepest gratitude.
She kept me afloat when life’s challenges caused my faith to waver. She renewed my
confidence and helped me stay on track. I am also grateful for the opportunity to learn
from my committee members: Dr. Clark, Dr. Candela, and Dr. Putney. Their collective
wisdom was invaluable and their guidance greatly enhanced my study.
I could not have done this without the support of my Indiana University colleagues.
Dean Marion Broome and Dr. Judith Halstead paved the way for me to achieve my goal
of earning a doctorate. Dr. Janet Welch, Dr. Jan Buelow, Dr. Susan Hendricks, and
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administrative staff members Linda Wright and Nikki Benbow, all went above and
beyond to support me and I am forever indebted to them. Dr. Phyllis Dexter’s copy
editing feedback will serve me well in future professional writing endeavors. I appreciate
all my IU faculty and staff colleagues who kept cheering me on to the finish line. It is an
honor and a privilege to work with them.
This acknowledgement would not be complete without expressing my thanks to my
participants. I found their commitment to their students’ success, their willingness to be
risk-takers in trying a new clinical model, and their love for teaching to be truly
remarkable and reaffirming.
Finally, to all women who have joined the ranks of cancer survivors: never
underestimate the power of pink.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ……………………………….………………………………………... iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………………… v

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION …………………………….………………….. 1
Background and Significance …………………………………………………. 1
Definitions of Clinical Education Models .……….…………………………… 5
Definitions of Participants in the DEU Model ………………………………… 6
Problem Statement ……………………………….……………………………. 6
Purpose of the Study ……………………………….………………………….. 8
Research Question ………………………………….…………………………. 9
Chapter Summary …………………………………….……………………….. 9

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE …….…………………… 10
Dedicated Education Unit Clinical Model ……………………….……………. 10
Preceptorship Clinical Model …….……………………………………..…….. 16
Traditional Faculty-Supervised Clinical Model …………………....………..... 20
Faculty Transitions …………………………..………..………………………. 30
Chapter Summary ……………..…………………………………….………… 40

CHAPTER III METHOD OF INQUIRY: GENERAL .……..……….…………… 42
Historical Foundations of Phenomenology ………..…………………………... 42
Max van Manen’s Approach to Researching Lived Experience ……..………... 44
Phenomenological Activities Related to this Study …………………..……….. 46
Research Plan .………………………………………………..………………... 48
Ensuring Trustworthiness ……………………………..……………………….. 52
Chapter Summary ………………………………………..…………………….. 54

CHAPTER IV METHOD OF INQUIRY: APPLIED ….……........….…………… 56
Participant Recruitment and Selection ……….……….………………………... 56
Gaining Access ……………………………………..…….……………………. 58
Privacy and Confidentiality …………….………………….…..………………. 61
Informed Consent ……………….……………………….…………………….. 63
Data Generation and Analysis Procedures …………………………………….. 63
Ensuring Trustworthiness and Authenticity ………….………………………... 67
Chapter Summary …………………………………………..………………….. 69

CHAPTER V FINDINGS …………………………………………………………. 70
Description of Participants ……………………………………………..……… 70
Data Collection …………………………………..…………………………….. 73
Data Analysis …………………………………………………………..………. 75
Overall Essence, Themes, and Subthemes ……………………………………... 77
Essence of the DEU as a New Synergy of Learning: Becoming the Guardian ... 78
Chapter Summary ……………………………………………………….……... 117
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CHAPTER VI DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION ……………………….. 118
Findings Related to the Current Literature …………………………………..... 118
Implications for Nursing Education ……………..……………………………. 129
Limitations …………………………………………………………………….. 131
Recommendations for Further Research ……………………………..………... 132
Chapter Summary ……………………………………………………………… 134
Conclusion……….………………..…………………………………………… 135

APPENDICES ………..…………………………………….……………………….. 137
Appendix A: Literature Review Table ……………………..…...……………... 137
Appendix B: UNLV Institutional Review Board Approval ..………………….. 148
Appendix C: Recruitment Flyer…………………………….…………….......... 149
Appendix D: Approved Informed Consent ……………………………………. 150
Appendix E: Demographic Questionnaire .….…..…….………………………. 153
Appendix F: Interview Questions …………..………………………….……… 155
Appendix G: Participant Profiles ……………………………………………… 156
Appendix H: Demographic Questionnaire Results ……………….................... 157

REFERENCES ……………………………………………………………………… 160

CURRICULUM VITA ……………………………………………………………… 171

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