Adjunct Clinical Nursing Faculty Online/Hybrid Orientation Experience: A Basic Qualitative Stud

Due to the national nursing shortage and subsequent nursing faculty shortage, clinical nursing experts are transitioning to adjunct clinical nursing faculty roles. Adjunct clinical nursing faculty have very little, if any experience in academia. The significant increase in the utilization of adjunct clinical nursing faculty has led nursing programs to implement online or hybrid orientation procedures. The literature suggests that orientation of adjunct clinical nursing faculty affects their retention in nursing degree programs. The problem addressed in this basic qualitative study was, "What were the experiences of adjunct clinical nursing faculty who have participated in an online or hybrid orientation program?" The sample contained six adjunct clinical nursing faculty who completed a hybrid orientation program within the last five years. Participants in the study were all employed by the same university system. Data analysis using constant comparison generated four themes: passion for teaching and students, clarity regarding the faculty role, support in the role, and connection to an experienced adjunct clinical nursing faculty. The study findings indicate that the orientation experience does not impact the desire of adjunct clinical nursing faculty to stay in their role; rather, their commitment to the next generation of nursing students was found to have the most impact on their desire to stay. A hybrid orientation program with a mentoring component is a positive alternative method to traditional orientation practices. A study to uncover the experiences of adjunct clinical faculty in an exclusively online environment according to age would also add to the body of knowledge determining the impact of educator age on online learning. A study on hybrid mentorship in nursing education should also be considered as an opportunity for further research.