Negotiating socialisation: the journey of novice nurse academics into higher education.

In this paper we seek to explore the socialisation process experienced by novice nurse academics when they make the transition from the health sector into the education sector. We will do this by identifying the theoretical tensions between individual freedom in the context of organisational needs. The ramifications of these tensions will be highlighted and solutions for raising awareness as to how to manage them are discussed. We conclude that a socialisation process that protects individual freedom and promotes self-development is one that carries the greatest benefit for the novice nurse academic and the educational institution.