This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Latter, S. Articles by Kitsell, F. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Implementing a clinical academic career pathway in nursing; criteria for success and challenges ahead

School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

Jill Macleod Clark

Faculty of Medicine, Health & Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

Cathy Geddes

South Central Strategic Health Authority, Newbury, UK

Fleur Kitsell

Innovation Development and Wider Workforce, NHS Education South Central, Winchester, UK

Abstract

Following the United Kingdom Clinical Research Collaboration’s (UKCRC) (2007) recommendations on careers in clinical research, there has been growing anticipation in the United Kingdom about the real potential for establishing career pathways for nurses and allied health professionals that will enable them to combine a focus on both clinical and academic roles. However, it is recognized that the implementation of this initiative will require charting largely untested waters, with issues ranging from establishing joint University: health service employment contracts, to harmonizing clinical and research roles and ensuring sustainability of funding for clinical academic posts. This paper will outline the implementation of a pilot clinical academic career initiative, which has been modelled on the UKCRC framework. We will illuminate the processes and structures employed and reflect on the factors that appear critical to the successful establishment of a clinical academic career pathway. Additionally, our experience has enabled us to identify challenges that will need to be addressed by a range of stakeholders if clinical academic careers are to flourish and deliver their potential at a national level as a modern career option for nurses and allied health professionals.

Key Words: clinical academic careers • clinical research • research capability • research capacity

Journal of Research in Nursing, Vol. 14, No. 2, 137-148 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1744987108102003


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?