Abstract

Registered Nurse (RN) workforce projections continue to show a shortage of RNs, which will intensify as Baby Boomers age and large numbers of nurses reach retirement (AACN, 2017a). To meet workforce demands, increasing numbers of nurses prepared at the graduate level for advanced roles like nursing faculty, nurse researchers, and primary care providers are critical. With variable attrition rates in master's and doctoral programs, there is a need for research into the uniqueness of these populations. In particular, noncognitive predictors of success, such as grit, may be important. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study assessed grit levels (measured by Grit-S) of graduate nursing students and faculty strategies that were used to support grit. Student Grit-S (total and subscale) scores were found to be high (M = 3.9, SD = 0.5), which is consistent with findings from studies of other well-educated professionals. Multiple linear regressions were conducted and found that there was not a significant difference between MSN and DNP student grit levels. However, MSN Women's Health Nurse Practitioner students were found to have significantly higher grit levels than MSN Nurse Anesthesia students. The qualitative portion of the study found that faculty identified five themes regarding the ways they promote grit in their graduate nursing students. They are Spirit, Approachability, Cheerleading, Coaching, and Practice. Strategies for promoting grit were identified for each theme to inform future nursing education and research.

Description

This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 27670907; ProQuest document ID: 2364174145. The author still retains copyright.

Author Details

Leanne T. Burke, EdD, MSN, CNM, RNC-OB

Sigma Membership

Psi Theta at-Large

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Mixed/Multi Method Research

Keywords:

Nursing Students, Nursing Education, Faculty Strategies, Predictors of Success

Advisor

Lisa Rebeschi

Second Advisor

Sandra Bulmer

Third Advisor

Penny Weismuller

Degree

Doctoral-Other

Degree Grantor

Southern Connecticut State University

Degree Year

2019

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

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2024-08-28

Full Text of Presentation

wf_yes

Download

Share

COinS