Does improved postgraduate capacity shift the balance of power for nurse specialists in a low-income country: A mixed methods study.

AIM

To explore nurse specialists' experiences of change and influence on practice two years after graduating with a postgraduate degree.

BACKGROUND

In the absence of further study opportunities for nurses in their own country, a master's degree was introduced to train the first group of nurse specialists in Mozambique.

DESIGN

Within a hybrid evaluation framework an exploratory, sequential mixed methods design was followed.

METHODS

Qualitative data from focus group interviews with nurse specialists (N = 12) led to five thematic data sets from which survey questions were formulated for the sequential quantitative component.

FINDINGS

"Change expectations", "Ambiguous practice environments", "Feeling powerless", "Having some influence" and "Workplace support" were emergent themes from interview data. Areas of positive change occurred in research (100%) and the use of evidence (88.9%) and involvement in decision-making (77.8%). For some change did not happen as anticipated-reasons included lack of nurse mentors to support new graduates (55.6%); lesser respect compared with doctors (44.4%) and poor understanding of the value of a master's degree (44.4%). Improvements in service quality and elevating the status of nursing were areas of greatest influence (77.8%).

CONCLUSION

Several enabling and limiting factors were identified in the experiences of change and influence on practice of newly qualified nurse specialists. Tacit change with respect to the value of the degree in improving the status of nursing seems not to have affected nurse specialists' own ability and power to influence practice. Improved postgraduate capacity on its own does not empower nurses in their role as specialists.

IMPACT

The findings point to a two-tiered strategy to be developed to dismantle barriers to the empowerment and advancement of nurse specialists. The identification of designated nurse mentors is essential to induct and sustain newly graduated nurse specialists. A clear research policy should be developed that supports the conduct of relevant research and the use of evidence in specialist practice.