What is it like to teach on the edge? : Experiences of nurse academics teaching at satellite campuses of Australian universities

Education has been deemed a priority for measurable community health and wellness. The value of university education as a crucial pathway for employment, culture, values and personal autonomy is also recognised. In the past, access to tertiary level education was often difficult for people who live in regional areas. To address that difficulty, the delivery of higher education in satellite campuses has become an increasing phenomenon in the international and Australian landscape. Satellite campuses of universities in regional areas have enabled access, research, economic development and local services to improve community outcomes. Consideration should be given to the fact that the cohort of students at satellite campuses starts their university journey with different attributes to their urban counterparts. They are predominantly mature age, first in family to attend university and low socio-economic status with family and time commitments. Academics who teach these students at satellite campuses provide a significant contribution to successful student outcomes. However, the role of an academic at a satellite campus is often misunderstood. It is multi-dimensional and frequently undervalued and poorly resourced. This research provides a new and essential insight into the experiences of nursing academics who teach at satellite campuses of Australian Universities. Using a phenomenological approach, 21 nursing academics from universities around Australia were interviewed to provide a detailed, descriptive explanation of this phenomenon through the eyes of those academics that live it.