'Maroochy Dreaming': The Stories of Aboriginal Nursing Academics Who Have Been Employed Within Schools of Nursing and Midwifery in Queensland Universities Between 2003 and 2013

Background: An Indigenous health workforce is urgently needed to provide culturally safe care to Indigenous people to help address poorer mortality and morbidity experienced by Indigenous Australians compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. To provide this workforce it is necessary for universities to continue to engage Indigenous nursing academics to attract Indigenous students into nursing and midwifery programs and encourage critical mass within the Indigenous health workforce. It has, however, been challenging for universities to attract and retain Indigenous nursing academics. Aim: The aim of this research study was to describe and analyse the stories of eight Aboriginal nursing academics to explore the meaning that they derived from their experiences as nursing academics. The analysis of these unique narratives can then inform the development of recommendations for optimal support of Indigenous nursing academics in the tertiary sector. Method: A qualitative interpretive narrative inquiry methodological approach was used for this research study. Eight Aboriginal nursing academics were interviewed. Data analysis involved a three-step process: (1) narrative analysis; (2) thematic analysis; and (3) the identification of constituent themes within the narratives to create a core story. Results: The core story entitled ‘Maroochy Dreaming’ was crafted from the analysis. Four themes that were identified as being influential in the experience of becoming, and being, an Indigenous nursing academic included: 1) becoming a nurse and journeying into nursing and academia; 2) being situated in the Indigenous academic world; 3) racism, and the whiteness of nursing; and 4) building resilience to further develop leadership. Conclusions: The themes collated from this research provide an in-depth description of the factors affecting the experiences of Indigenous nursing academics in the tertiary education sector, and a roadmap for a way forward. The hidden workload unofficially allocated to Indigenous nursing academics has the potential to impact on the retention rate of this cohort. This hidden workload can also impede academic progression and potential leadership roles, and hinder the opportunity to develop a research portfolio. Ensuring the university space is culturally safe for both Indigenous nursing academics and Indigenous students is paramount to attract and grow these cohorts. This safe space can be facilitated by addressing structural racism in universities and ensuring that non-Indigenous nursing academic staff are provided with cultural awareness training as a position requirement. For future-proofing career advancements for Indigenous nursing academics, the provision of resilience training is necessary to enable them to grow professionally and transition into leadership roles in Indigenous health. If these areas are not addressed, and recommendations arising from this study are not implemented by universities, the retention of Indigenous nursing academics will likely continue to be an issue for the university sector. Furthermore, the retention and graduation rate of Indigenous nursing and midwifery students may decline. Deficits in the numbers of Indigenous people in Australia’s healthcare workforce will leave Australia’s Indigenous health crises unaddressed, with the potential to widen the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Implications for Practice and University Policy: Recommendations from this study highlight that university schools of nursing and midwifery need to provide effective, culturally appropriate support for Indigenous nursing academics who, in turn, actively contribute to effective support, education, and skill development of Indigenous nurses. ; Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2017.