Furthering Nursing Scholarship in Today’s Postsecondary Institutions: The Legacy of Ernest Boyer

Abstract

Nursing faculty members are often frustrated with, resentful of, or intimidated by the research and scholarship requirements expected of them today. The discussion in this paper is intended to aid nursing faculty members’ understanding of their work in the context of the current trends in research and scholarship in North American post-secondary institutions. Nursing faculty members require a clear understanding of Boyer’s four domains of scholarship, as they form the basis of quality indicators in both Canadian and United States accreditation programs for baccalaureate programs. Boyer’s domains of scholarship must be understood in the historical context in which they were developed, but also with respect to their relevance to today. This context includes: the prominence of interdisciplinary and interprofessional practice and research; the community engagement agenda for today’s higher education institutions; the importance of applied research in the Canadian college sector today; and the move to baccalaureate education as the entry level education for practice in Canada. Nursing faculty members today have rich opportunities for scholarship with their involvement in interprofessional research and education, clinical practice, community engagement, social justice, and innovative pedagogy.