After theDoctorate: A qualitative study investigating nursing research career development inJordan

Abstract

There is a dearth of research exploring the development of postdoctoral nursing research careers in non-Western contexts. This paper reports on a qualitative study of Jordanian graduates of UK PhD programs. Interviews were held with 16 graduates who worked in the nursing faculty of seven different universities in Jordan. Participants reported that their doctoral degree had equipped them with confidence and enthusiasm for developing a research career. Mentorship, leadership, and peer support were identified as essential to supporting ongoing research activity. Access to these sources of support was variable and participants also described a range of institutional and organizational structures that directly or indirectly discouraged them from developing research productivity. This research suggests that support for postdoctoral novice researchers is an important area for further attention - for Jordanian universities, for UK PhD supervisors (and their associated academic departments), and for the wider nursing community.

Managing Jordanian nurse migration to the Gulf Cooperation Council states

“…Other push and pull factors included the desire to travel and career advancement, which echo the results of other studies of Jordanian nurses and students (3,7). This is similar to studies which suggested that nursing is seen as a mobile profession with work opportunities tied to travel (2,6,16,17). It is likely that the similarities in language, culture and religious beliefs between Jordan and the GCC countries are key factors in pulling the nurses.…”

Transition from clinician to academic: an interview study of the experiences of UK and Australian Registered Nurses

“…For Jordanian nurses who completed doctorates in the UK and then returned home, leadership in nursing research was absent due to absence of researchers and only 56% ( n = 16) sustained their research despite high self‐confidence (Al‐Nawafleh et al . ).…”

Combining clinical practice and academic work in nursing: A qualitative study about perceived importance, facilitators and barriers regarding clinical academic careers for nurses in university hospitals

“…This is a reflection of the current level of the research culture in nursing. Without a fostering research culture, almost half the nurses who have PhDs stop doing research (Al‐Nawafleh, Zeilani, & Evans, ). This implies a significant leakage of academic knowledge and skills that are needed to provide high‐quality patient care, and this waste of talent is costly (Buchan, ; O'Brien‐Pallas, Murphy, Shamian, Li, & Hayes, ).…”