Professional Identity, Nurse Educator Competencies, and Job Satisfaction in Academic Nurse Educators
Abstract
Background. A strong professional identity in nursing has been linked to safe practice and job satisfaction. However, the influence of professional identity on role competencies and job satisfaction in academic nurse educators is unclear. The ongoing nursing faculty shortage underscores the urgency of understanding this influence to help recruit and retain educators.
Purpose. Framed within the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing domains and definitions and Benner’s Novice to Expert theory, this study investigates the relationships among professional identity, academic nurse educator competencies, and job satisfaction in US academic nurse educators.
Method. A total of 165 US nurse faculty completed an online survey in which they self-rated their levels of professional identity, role competencies, and job satisfaction. Data were collected on the Professional Identity in Nursing Scale 2.0, the Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Assessment, and a single item job satisfaction question.
Results. The results revealed a strong positive correlation between professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies (rs = .619). Job satisfaction showed weak positive correlations with professional identity (rs = .193) and academic nurse educator competencies (rs = .183). Professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies did not predict job satisfaction in the regression model, suggesting that additional variables may be needed for prediction. Additional findings included relationships between highest completed degree and professional identity, and relationships between academic nurse educator competencies and highest completed degree, educational preparation, CNE status, and geographical region.
Conclusion. The findings of this study highlight the importance of professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies in preparing nurses for academia, reinforcing the need to integrate professional identity into all nursing curricula to support readiness for practice. While job satisfaction is influenced by professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies, it is multifactorial and requires more investigation. Finally, the results provide a foundation for future interventional studies aimed at supporting academic nurse educators and examining how professional identity influences readiness for practice among nursing graduates.
Notes
Extensive reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Lead Author Affiliation
Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Descriptive/Correlational
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Faculty Development, Academic, Advances in Education, Nursing Professional Identity, Nursing Faculty, NLN Competencies, Job Satisfaction, Nurse Educators, Nurse Educators--United States, Professional Identity, Competency-Based Education
Recommended Citation
Ayala, Lexi A. and Hensel, Desiree, "Professional Identity, Nurse Educator Competencies, and Job Satisfaction in Academic Nurse Educators" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 55.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/55
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-25
Professional Identity, Nurse Educator Competencies, and Job Satisfaction in Academic Nurse Educators
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Background. A strong professional identity in nursing has been linked to safe practice and job satisfaction. However, the influence of professional identity on role competencies and job satisfaction in academic nurse educators is unclear. The ongoing nursing faculty shortage underscores the urgency of understanding this influence to help recruit and retain educators.
Purpose. Framed within the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing domains and definitions and Benner’s Novice to Expert theory, this study investigates the relationships among professional identity, academic nurse educator competencies, and job satisfaction in US academic nurse educators.
Method. A total of 165 US nurse faculty completed an online survey in which they self-rated their levels of professional identity, role competencies, and job satisfaction. Data were collected on the Professional Identity in Nursing Scale 2.0, the Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Assessment, and a single item job satisfaction question.
Results. The results revealed a strong positive correlation between professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies (rs = .619). Job satisfaction showed weak positive correlations with professional identity (rs = .193) and academic nurse educator competencies (rs = .183). Professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies did not predict job satisfaction in the regression model, suggesting that additional variables may be needed for prediction. Additional findings included relationships between highest completed degree and professional identity, and relationships between academic nurse educator competencies and highest completed degree, educational preparation, CNE status, and geographical region.
Conclusion. The findings of this study highlight the importance of professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies in preparing nurses for academia, reinforcing the need to integrate professional identity into all nursing curricula to support readiness for practice. While job satisfaction is influenced by professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies, it is multifactorial and requires more investigation. Finally, the results provide a foundation for future interventional studies aimed at supporting academic nurse educators and examining how professional identity influences readiness for practice among nursing graduates.
Description
This study examined the relationships among professional identity, nurse educator competencies, and job satisfaction in U.S. academic nurse educators, finding a strong link between identity and competency. These findings have wide-reaching implications for nursing education, including the integration of professional identity in all levels.