Nurse teachers in higher education--without clinical competence, do they have a future?

The practice-theory divide between that which is taught in the classroom and which is performed in practice, is well documented. The role of the Registered Clinical Nurse Teacher was an attempt to overcome this, which failed. In many areas practitioners are being encouraged to become more educationally aware. However, many of the institutions which influence nursing in the United Kingdom expect teachers to be more clinically aware. This has led to a debate about the level of clinical competence or credibility a teacher requires. In this paper, two methods of achieving this are examined. First, the role of the Lecturer Practitioner, which provides clinical competence for a minority but which may not be appropriate for the majority, and can lead to isolation from other teachers. Second, the role of Link Teacher, which can provide clinical credibility, but where there are several reasons why the role is not being fulfilled adequately. The impending changes in the organisation of nurse education will affect teachers ability to bridge the practice-theory divide, as has already occurred in America. It is suggested that the role of the nurse teacher in the UK is being eroded by highly qualified specialists in higher education and more knowledgeable, articulate practitioners. Teachers need to establish their unique role which must lie in showing how academic knowledge can be integrated and applied to nursing practice. However, if nurse teachers do not maintain their clinical ability they will not be able to support their claim to do this, and not only will the practice-theory divide increase, but in the very near future nurse teachers will find it extremely difficult to justify their existence.