Nursing scholarship within the British university system

Abstract

This article is a review of how a school of nursing and midwifery might promote scholarship within the university system. It is argued that the emphasis on research in universities has undermined the importance of scholarship within education and practice. The difficulties of recognizing scholarly processes as opposed to products such as publications is outlined in relation to three areas of potential scholarship within nurse education, i.e. research, teaching and practice. Issues are raised about how scholarship might be promoted in these three areas in practical terms. It is argued that systems of recognition and reward should be equitably distributed between these wide areas of potential scholarship. This will mean universities accommodating different models of scholarship and nurses recognizing their responsibility to contribute to scholarly activity.