2026 Theses Doctoral

Relationships Among Professional Identity, Nurse Educator Competencies, and Job Satisfaction in Academic Nurse Educators: A Correlational Study

Ayala, Alexis

A strong professional identity in nursing has been linked to safe clinical practice and job satisfaction. However, the influence of professional identity on role-specific competencies and job satisfaction in academic nurse educators is unclear. The ongoing nursing faculty shortage underscores the urgency of understanding this influence to help recruit and retain the educators needed to bolster the volume of qualified nurses in the workforce.

Framed within the International Society for Professional Identity in Nursing domains and definitions and Benner’s Novice to Expert theory, this study investigates the relationships among professional identity, academic nurse educator competencies, and job satisfaction in academic nurse educators practicing in the United States. A total of 165 nurse faculty from across the United States completed an online survey in which they self-rated their levels of professional identity, role competencies, and job satisfaction. Data were collected on the Professional Identity in Nursing Scale 2.0 and the Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Assessment. A single item question was used to holistically measure job satisfaction. Demographic data were measured on a researcher developed survey.

The results of the study revealed a strong positive correlation between professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies (rs = .62). Job satisfaction showed weak positive but statistically significant correlations with professional identity (rs = .19), and academic nurse educator competencies (rs = .18). Professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies did not predict job satisfaction in the multinomial regression model, suggesting that additional variables may be needed for more accurate prediction. Additional findings included a significant relationship between highest completed degree and professional identity, and significant relationships between academic nurse educator competencies and highest completed degree, educational preparation, CNE status, and geographical region.

The findings of this study highlight the importance of professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies in preparing nurses for the academic role, reinforcing the need to integrate professional identity into all nursing curricula to support readiness for diverse practice settings. While the job satisfaction of academic nurse educators is influenced by professional identity and academic nurse educator competencies, it is multifactorial and requires more investigation.

Finally, the results provide a foundation for future interventional studies aimed at supporting academic nurse educators and examining how professional identity influences readiness for practice among future nursing graduates.