Role expectations of Masters’Student Nurses -

Abstract

Nurses who have a Master’s degree are eligible for promotion to an administrative position in nursing such as nurse manager or nurse leader, or to a non-nursing administrative position in quality, patient safety, or human resources. One of the factors that drive nurses to leave their work is when working conditions are not up to their pre-set hopes, a condition referred to as unmet job expectations” (Porter and Steers, 1973); this condition may lead to detachment from work commitment and loyalty, higher turnover rates, job dissatisfaction, and demotivation (Moser, 2005; Taris, Feij, and Capel, 2006; Irving and Montes, 2009; Gkorezis and Kastritsi, 2017). This study aims at exploring MSN students’ perceptions of their prospects for promotion, the value of the MSN degree, and their likely career paths following graduation. The findings will help recommend strategies to retain graduate nurses not only in their work setting, but hopefully at the bedside. The approach was qualitative, where seven students of the MSN program at the school of nursing at AUB shared their experiences in a focus group discussion. The data were analyzed through theoretical mapping. Six major findings and their respective themes were emerged, mainly with respect to the reasons for choosing the MSN degree and its benefits, promotion expectations and future plans, where all participants expressed their intention to leave bedside care. The recommended strategies are to focus on the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to retain qualified nurses, support them, and provide them more privileges in the work setting. Also, the nursing administration at the organization can delegate one partner to be a member of the graduate committee for the school of nurses at AUB.