The Experience of Nurse-Midwives in Teaching Roles.

Background: The nursing faculty shortage has generated the interest of some nurse-midwives to teach in baccalaureate nursing programs. These seasoned practitioners bring a wealth of knowledge and clinical expertise to classrooms and clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of nurse-midwives who teach in baccalaureate nursing programs.

Method: This study used a qualitative phenomenological research design based in the naturalistic paradigm. Colaizzi's procedure for analyzing phenomenological data was used to examine verbatim transcriptions from 16 interviews. Data saturation was achieved.

Results: Six themes emerged from the data: Emphasis on Normal; Knowing My Stuff: Confidence and Competence; Students Wanting to Become Nurse-Midwives in the Future; Students Desiring Nurse-Midwifery Care; Teaching and Imparting the Nurse-Midwifery Philosophy; and Professional Challenges: The Faculty Role.

Conclusion: Nurse-midwives teaching in baccalaureate nursing programs are in strategic positions to influence nursing students. While helping the faculty shortage, they impart professional values and skills. They may inspire students to embrace the nurse-midwifery model of care. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(2):77-84.].