How do nurse educators experience leading research and development projects? A qualitative study in Turkish universities

BACKGROUND: Nurse educators play an essential role in fostering scientific production, innovative thinking and research culture. However, studies on the experiences of academic nurse educators leading research and development (R&D) projects remain limited. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the experiences of nurse educators serving as R&D project leaders and to gather their recommendations on project management. DESIGN: A qualitative study using reflexive thematic analysis. PARTICIPANTS: 11 academic nurse educators from universities in Türkiye, selected using purposive sampling. METHODS: Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews guided by a researcher-developed interview guide and a brief demographic information form. Contact was made with educators via email, and individual interviews lasting 30-40 min were conducted with those who agreed to participate in the study via Zoom. With the participants' consent, the interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was performed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis method. Intellectus Statistics software Analysis software was used to analyse the qualitative data. RESULTS: Four interconnected themes emerged from the analysis. Nurse educators described R&D project leadership as a transformative experience that enhanced academic visibility, professional identity, motivation and personal empowerment. Although participants reported significant bureaucratic, financial and psychological challenges throughout the project process, institutional support, interdisciplinary collaboration and effective teamwork facilitated successful project management. Participants also emphasised scientific preparation, originality, mentoring, resilience and time management as essential components for sustaining research leadership and professional development. CONCLUSIONS: R&D project leadership is not merely an academic responsibility for nurse educators; it is a transformative process that empowers individuals, fosters leadership and supports professional development. These findings highlight the potential value of institutional mentoring, interdisciplinary collaboration and streamlined administrative processes in supporting research capacity and sustainability in nursing. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings may help strengthen research capacity, mentoring systems and evidence-based leadership practices in nursing education and clinical settings.