Dissertation
Exploring career agility through the lived experiences of oncology nurse employees in the pharmaceutical industry: a phenomenological study
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
Jun 2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001782
Abstract
Americans support nurses - having ranked nursing professionals number one in honesty and integrity for 22 years in a row. Furthermore, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, citizens applauded nurses and other frontline healthcare providers for saving lives. However, in 2023, nurses are on strike across the United States and Europe, demanding better working conditions, compensation, and patient management caseloads. Over the next three years, approximately 600,000 nurses will leave the profession. Although literature exists on why nurses leave patient care to work in other health-related or health-adjacent industries, it does not reflect why oncology nurses transition from clinical practice to new pharmaceutical (pharma) careers. As the number of oncology nurses joining pharmaceutical companies increases steadily, understanding the factors influencing their decision-making and career choices is paramount. This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of oncology nurses who transitioned into the pharmaceutical industry to understand the influence of the phenomenon of career agility on their career choices and decisions. Through one-on-one, 60-minute, semi-structured interviews, this study explored the following lines of inquiry: 1) Why oncology nurses chose to pursue new careers in the pharmaceutical industry; 2) How the oncology nurses' transition to pharmaceutical companies illustrated career agility; and 3) What characteristics were demonstrated by oncology nurses who left patient care for careers in pharma. Data from 17 in-depth interviews with oncology nurse pharmaceutical employees found that oncology nurses leave clinical practice due to negative workplace culture and burnout and the recruitment efforts of pharma representatives. These nurses were attracted to and remained in pharma for financial compensation and human capital investments. This study revealed that career transition decisions were heavily influenced by prior pharma exposure, networking, peer endorsements, and an ability to overcome negative perceptions of the industry. Intra-departmental and external organizational migration and a desire for growth and flexibility illustrated a career agility mindset in oncology nurse pharmaceutical employees. The research from this study concluded that pharma is a viable second career choice for oncology nurses. Keywords: career agility phenomenon, pharmaceutical industry, oncology nurse pharmaceutical employees, recruitment
Metrics
68 File views/ downloads
136 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Exploring career agility through the lived experiences of oncology nurse employees in the pharmaceutical industry
- Creators
- Cynthia L. Edlow
- Contributors
- Harriette Rasmussen (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xi, 150 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991021212313904721