Role expectations of joint academic/clinical appointees in university nursing faculties.

The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of the role expectations of joint academic/clinical appointees in university Nursing; faculties. These role expectations are examined from the perspective of joint appointees and deans of Nursing; and senior nurse executives of health care agencies. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires from 139 joint appointees, 9 deans of Nursing;, and 36 Nursing; service administrators in Canadian Nursing; faculties and service agencies. Data were processed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS('x)). The following analyses were used: factor analysis (oblique rotation), Cronbach's alpha, frequency and percentage distribution, Pearson's correlation, t-tests, ANOVA and content analysis. The first two research questions assessed the role expectations of joint appointees as held by educational institutions and health care agencies and the congruency of expectations held by the two agencies. Deans/directors and Nursing; service administrators were found to differ in their expectations of three types of joint appointments, Cost Shared, Clinical Associates, and Associate Faculty. The deans held the highest expectations for the Clinical Associate group while the Nursing; service administrators held the highest expectations for the Cost Shared joint appointees. The main differences in expectations were in the area of research. The remaining research questions examined the variables use of role negotiation skills, perceived congruency in role expectations and job tension levels of joint appointees. The results of Pearson product moment correlations indicated significant positive relationships between the use of role negotiation skills and perceived congruency in role expectations. Negative relationships were found between the joint appointees' perceived congruency in role expectations and job tension levels and between use of role negotiation skills and job tension levels. The magnitudes of these relationships differ when joint appointees are viewed by salary source or by agency of primary responsibility.