All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you... more All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication, 2017
A community of practice (CoP) situated in a health and risk context is an approach to collaborati... more A community of practice (CoP) situated in a health and risk context is an approach to collaboration among members that promotes learning and development. In a CoP, individuals come together virtually or physically and coalesce around a common purpose. CoPs are defined by knowledge, rather than task, and encourage novices and experienced practitioners to work together to co-create and embed sustainable outputs that impact on theory and practice development. As a result, CoPs provide an innovative approach to incorporating evidence-based research associated with health and risk into systems and organizations aligned with public well-being. CoPs provide a framework for constructing authentic and collaborative learning. Jeanne Lave and Etienne Wenger are credited with the original description of a CoP as an approach to learning that encompasses elements of identity, situation, and active participation. CoPs blend a constructivist view of learning, where meaningful experience is set in t...
The literature recognises a relationship between clinical experience and a successful undergradua... more The literature recognises a relationship between clinical experience and a successful undergraduate experience in nursing; however what constitutes an effective approach remains the subject of debate, particularly in relation to first year learning and experience. There is evidence from a biological standpoint that early experience impacts on the behavioural development of animals, described by Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989) as ‘imprinting’. The concept of imprinting has resonance for nursing. In this paper the importance of ‘getting it right at the beginning’ is explored in relation to Lorenz’s work and what it tells us about the impact of early clinical learning and development.
Research and Scholarly Activity Profile. I have a research profile commensurate with this stage o... more Research and Scholarly Activity Profile. I have a research profile commensurate with this stage of my career and I am fully committed to turning all available outputs into REF ready 2028 impact case studies. As such all * ratings are as anticipated.
International journal of nursing education scholarship, 2008
Working in communities is increasingly a feature of UK (United Kingdom) higher education. Within ... more Working in communities is increasingly a feature of UK (United Kingdom) higher education. Within the last decade communities of practice (CoPs) have migrated from organisational development departments and evolved to become tools for practice based learning in educational settings. More recently, in nursing, the literature reports that CoPs have the potential to blend the skills of both academics and clinicians to transform and create new knowledge that is both scholarly and applicable to practice.
This article focuses on local practice-based research and development. It uses examples from both... more This article focuses on local practice-based research and development. It uses examples from both nursing practice and education to explore some factors that prevent, promote and influence the establishment of a research culture in clinical nursing. The article presents potential approaches for successful practitioner-led and clinical/academic research initiatives, explored through practice development and communities of practice. It also highlights the challenges of these approaches.
ABSTRACT The historic and current case to retain a focused clinical nursing identity within an ac... more ABSTRACT The historic and current case to retain a focused clinical nursing identity within an academic context is explicit; however there is tension between the need for excellence in teaching and research, and obligation to maintain a credible clinical identity. Nursing is politically and vocationally advanced but, arguably, weaker academically. Considered an ‘old vocation’ but a ‘young discipline’, nursing lacks the traditional background found in established academic communities. Nurses still find it difficult to ‘let go’ of the past and new academics will often try to re-create a clinical role because they lack confidence in their ability to fulfil an academic one. Moving forward, the new graduate nursing programmes and the growing number of hybrid or ‘pracademic’ roles spanning education and practice will, through the co-creation of knowledge, challenge discipline boundaries and produce a new generation of leaders for the profession.
Nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) has been part of higher education for more than a decade and i... more Nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) has been part of higher education for more than a decade and is now moving towards graduate status as a profession. Increasingly, through adherence to good practice guidelines and professional body regulation, the profession is incrementally involving communities of reference to help shape current and future identity. The desire to articulate the impact of nursing practice underscores the new undergraduate programmes and propels professional preparation beyond an existence at the fuzzy fringes of medicine towards a unique and fully fledged contemporary identity.
Although pre-registration nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) is moving towards a graduate exit, t... more Although pre-registration nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) is moving towards a graduate exit, the vocational/professional debate is still live and continues to be played out in both popular and professional literature. This study considers the nature of contemporary academic communities and the challenge of duality in professional nursing life. More than a decade after the move into Higher Education (HE) however the role of the academic is still controversial, with much of the debate focussed on the nature of clinical credibility. This article considers the dimensions of academic nursing, reports the views of academics and clinicians and introduces a model of working that could potentially harness and blend the skills of academics and clinicians, nurturing a culture of applied scholarship throughout the professional/academic journey.
Communities of practice (CoPs) provide a potentially useful practice based framework for construc... more Communities of practice (CoPs) provide a potentially useful practice based framework for constructing work based collaborative learning and promoting engagement with local and professional groups and communities. In nursing, we have, increasingly, to manage and deploy new and existing knowledge, although CoPs are currently not widely used to do this. This paper debates the framework created by Wenger and reviews the role of the CoP as an innovative way for educators and practitioners to collaborate to develop and manage new knowledge and emerging practice.
This paper analyses the current standing of nursing within the wider United Kingdom (UK) higher e... more This paper analyses the current standing of nursing within the wider United Kingdom (UK) higher education (HE) environment and considers the development of academic identity within the sector, introducing a technology mediated approach to professional learning and development. A community of practice (CoP) is a way of learning based on collaboration among peers. Individuals come together virtually or physically, with a common purpose, defined by knowledge rather than task (Wenger 1998). In 2008, a small team of academics at Glasgow Caledonian University, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community Health created and implemented iCoP, a project undertaken to pilot an international community of practice, where novices and expert academics collaborated to debate and discuss the complex transition from clinician to academic. Although not intended as a conventional research project, the developmental journey and emerging online discussion provide an insight into the collective thoughts and opinions of a multinational group of novice academics. The article also highlights the key challenges, problems and limitations of working in an international online arena with professionals who traditionally work and thrive in a face to face, real time environment.
As students, fledgling nurses need to feel they belong to a community of academics, peers and men... more As students, fledgling nurses need to feel they belong to a community of academics, peers and mentors who value their contribution to learning and knowledge. Creating a sense of community allows students to experience academic and practice integration at the beginning of their professional journey, recognising that positive learning experiences at an early stage of professional maturation can shape lifelong attitudes to learning and discovery. The Senses Framework has been used to develop supportive working in relation to older adults; it also has resonance for the development of undergraduate nurses. This article focuses on the student experience, exploring the potential for the Senses Framework to underpin a learning community, promoting collaboration and acknowledging the emotional, academic and professional work that is now essential for the preparation of registered nurse in the 21 st Century.
The literature recognises a relationship between clinical experience and a successful undergradua... more The literature recognises a relationship between clinical experience and a successful undergraduate experience in nursing; however what constitutes an effective approach remains the subject of debate, particularly in relation to first year of learning. There is evidence from a biological standpoint that early experience impacts on the behavioural development of animals, described by Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989) as 'imprinting'. The concept of imprinting has resonance for nursing. In this article the importance of 'getting it right at the beginning' is explored and what, if anything, Lorenz's theory tells us about the impact of early clinical learning on subsequent professional development.
ABSTRACT In developing graduates for the knowledge society lecturers in higher education may seek... more ABSTRACT In developing graduates for the knowledge society lecturers in higher education may seek to strengthen links between research and teaching. Much of the previous work on the research-teaching nexus is within traditional universities and subject disciplines. In aiming to deepen understanding of the research and teaching nexus this paper focuses on the academic identities of higher education lecturers working in newer higher education institutions and in the professional fields of nursing and of teacher education. A qualitative study, informed by professional identity construction as an ecological concept, was conducted. The findings align with previous studies concerning similarities between lecturers in nurse and teacher education, but they contrast with previous studies concerning differences between these two groups of lecturers. Similarities include the priority given by professional educators to their responsibility for preparing new clinical practitioners; the research-led model as the lecturers’ main approach to the research-teaching nexus; and their difficulties in coping with current demands in academic work. Differences between the two groups of lecturers include the way that ‘practitioner identity’ is positioned within their current academic identities and the way that they position initial education within the wider professional field. These differences indicate different kinds of connections between teaching and research. The paper proposes an ecological approach to understanding the research-teaching nexus.
Although pre-registration nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) is moving towards graduate status, t... more Although pre-registration nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) is moving towards graduate status, the vocational/professional debate is still live. More than a decade after the move into Higher Education (HE) the role of the nursing academic remains controversial, with much of the debate focussed on the issue of clinical credibility. This paper considers the dimensions of academic nursing and introduces the concept of a 'close to practice' model of working.
All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you... more All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication, 2017
A community of practice (CoP) situated in a health and risk context is an approach to collaborati... more A community of practice (CoP) situated in a health and risk context is an approach to collaboration among members that promotes learning and development. In a CoP, individuals come together virtually or physically and coalesce around a common purpose. CoPs are defined by knowledge, rather than task, and encourage novices and experienced practitioners to work together to co-create and embed sustainable outputs that impact on theory and practice development. As a result, CoPs provide an innovative approach to incorporating evidence-based research associated with health and risk into systems and organizations aligned with public well-being. CoPs provide a framework for constructing authentic and collaborative learning. Jeanne Lave and Etienne Wenger are credited with the original description of a CoP as an approach to learning that encompasses elements of identity, situation, and active participation. CoPs blend a constructivist view of learning, where meaningful experience is set in t...
The literature recognises a relationship between clinical experience and a successful undergradua... more The literature recognises a relationship between clinical experience and a successful undergraduate experience in nursing; however what constitutes an effective approach remains the subject of debate, particularly in relation to first year learning and experience. There is evidence from a biological standpoint that early experience impacts on the behavioural development of animals, described by Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989) as ‘imprinting’. The concept of imprinting has resonance for nursing. In this paper the importance of ‘getting it right at the beginning’ is explored in relation to Lorenz’s work and what it tells us about the impact of early clinical learning and development.
Research and Scholarly Activity Profile. I have a research profile commensurate with this stage o... more Research and Scholarly Activity Profile. I have a research profile commensurate with this stage of my career and I am fully committed to turning all available outputs into REF ready 2028 impact case studies. As such all * ratings are as anticipated.
International journal of nursing education scholarship, 2008
Working in communities is increasingly a feature of UK (United Kingdom) higher education. Within ... more Working in communities is increasingly a feature of UK (United Kingdom) higher education. Within the last decade communities of practice (CoPs) have migrated from organisational development departments and evolved to become tools for practice based learning in educational settings. More recently, in nursing, the literature reports that CoPs have the potential to blend the skills of both academics and clinicians to transform and create new knowledge that is both scholarly and applicable to practice.
This article focuses on local practice-based research and development. It uses examples from both... more This article focuses on local practice-based research and development. It uses examples from both nursing practice and education to explore some factors that prevent, promote and influence the establishment of a research culture in clinical nursing. The article presents potential approaches for successful practitioner-led and clinical/academic research initiatives, explored through practice development and communities of practice. It also highlights the challenges of these approaches.
ABSTRACT The historic and current case to retain a focused clinical nursing identity within an ac... more ABSTRACT The historic and current case to retain a focused clinical nursing identity within an academic context is explicit; however there is tension between the need for excellence in teaching and research, and obligation to maintain a credible clinical identity. Nursing is politically and vocationally advanced but, arguably, weaker academically. Considered an ‘old vocation’ but a ‘young discipline’, nursing lacks the traditional background found in established academic communities. Nurses still find it difficult to ‘let go’ of the past and new academics will often try to re-create a clinical role because they lack confidence in their ability to fulfil an academic one. Moving forward, the new graduate nursing programmes and the growing number of hybrid or ‘pracademic’ roles spanning education and practice will, through the co-creation of knowledge, challenge discipline boundaries and produce a new generation of leaders for the profession.
Nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) has been part of higher education for more than a decade and i... more Nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) has been part of higher education for more than a decade and is now moving towards graduate status as a profession. Increasingly, through adherence to good practice guidelines and professional body regulation, the profession is incrementally involving communities of reference to help shape current and future identity. The desire to articulate the impact of nursing practice underscores the new undergraduate programmes and propels professional preparation beyond an existence at the fuzzy fringes of medicine towards a unique and fully fledged contemporary identity.
Although pre-registration nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) is moving towards a graduate exit, t... more Although pre-registration nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) is moving towards a graduate exit, the vocational/professional debate is still live and continues to be played out in both popular and professional literature. This study considers the nature of contemporary academic communities and the challenge of duality in professional nursing life. More than a decade after the move into Higher Education (HE) however the role of the academic is still controversial, with much of the debate focussed on the nature of clinical credibility. This article considers the dimensions of academic nursing, reports the views of academics and clinicians and introduces a model of working that could potentially harness and blend the skills of academics and clinicians, nurturing a culture of applied scholarship throughout the professional/academic journey.
Communities of practice (CoPs) provide a potentially useful practice based framework for construc... more Communities of practice (CoPs) provide a potentially useful practice based framework for constructing work based collaborative learning and promoting engagement with local and professional groups and communities. In nursing, we have, increasingly, to manage and deploy new and existing knowledge, although CoPs are currently not widely used to do this. This paper debates the framework created by Wenger and reviews the role of the CoP as an innovative way for educators and practitioners to collaborate to develop and manage new knowledge and emerging practice.
This paper analyses the current standing of nursing within the wider United Kingdom (UK) higher e... more This paper analyses the current standing of nursing within the wider United Kingdom (UK) higher education (HE) environment and considers the development of academic identity within the sector, introducing a technology mediated approach to professional learning and development. A community of practice (CoP) is a way of learning based on collaboration among peers. Individuals come together virtually or physically, with a common purpose, defined by knowledge rather than task (Wenger 1998). In 2008, a small team of academics at Glasgow Caledonian University, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community Health created and implemented iCoP, a project undertaken to pilot an international community of practice, where novices and expert academics collaborated to debate and discuss the complex transition from clinician to academic. Although not intended as a conventional research project, the developmental journey and emerging online discussion provide an insight into the collective thoughts and opinions of a multinational group of novice academics. The article also highlights the key challenges, problems and limitations of working in an international online arena with professionals who traditionally work and thrive in a face to face, real time environment.
As students, fledgling nurses need to feel they belong to a community of academics, peers and men... more As students, fledgling nurses need to feel they belong to a community of academics, peers and mentors who value their contribution to learning and knowledge. Creating a sense of community allows students to experience academic and practice integration at the beginning of their professional journey, recognising that positive learning experiences at an early stage of professional maturation can shape lifelong attitudes to learning and discovery. The Senses Framework has been used to develop supportive working in relation to older adults; it also has resonance for the development of undergraduate nurses. This article focuses on the student experience, exploring the potential for the Senses Framework to underpin a learning community, promoting collaboration and acknowledging the emotional, academic and professional work that is now essential for the preparation of registered nurse in the 21 st Century.
The literature recognises a relationship between clinical experience and a successful undergradua... more The literature recognises a relationship between clinical experience and a successful undergraduate experience in nursing; however what constitutes an effective approach remains the subject of debate, particularly in relation to first year of learning. There is evidence from a biological standpoint that early experience impacts on the behavioural development of animals, described by Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989) as 'imprinting'. The concept of imprinting has resonance for nursing. In this article the importance of 'getting it right at the beginning' is explored and what, if anything, Lorenz's theory tells us about the impact of early clinical learning on subsequent professional development.
ABSTRACT In developing graduates for the knowledge society lecturers in higher education may seek... more ABSTRACT In developing graduates for the knowledge society lecturers in higher education may seek to strengthen links between research and teaching. Much of the previous work on the research-teaching nexus is within traditional universities and subject disciplines. In aiming to deepen understanding of the research and teaching nexus this paper focuses on the academic identities of higher education lecturers working in newer higher education institutions and in the professional fields of nursing and of teacher education. A qualitative study, informed by professional identity construction as an ecological concept, was conducted. The findings align with previous studies concerning similarities between lecturers in nurse and teacher education, but they contrast with previous studies concerning differences between these two groups of lecturers. Similarities include the priority given by professional educators to their responsibility for preparing new clinical practitioners; the research-led model as the lecturers’ main approach to the research-teaching nexus; and their difficulties in coping with current demands in academic work. Differences between the two groups of lecturers include the way that ‘practitioner identity’ is positioned within their current academic identities and the way that they position initial education within the wider professional field. These differences indicate different kinds of connections between teaching and research. The paper proposes an ecological approach to understanding the research-teaching nexus.
Although pre-registration nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) is moving towards graduate status, t... more Although pre-registration nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) is moving towards graduate status, the vocational/professional debate is still live. More than a decade after the move into Higher Education (HE) the role of the nursing academic remains controversial, with much of the debate focussed on the issue of clinical credibility. This paper considers the dimensions of academic nursing and introduces the concept of a 'close to practice' model of working.
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