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The Nursing Faculty Shortage: It’s Time to Find Our Voice

The Nursing Faculty Shortage: It’s Time to Find Our Voice Guest Editorial Bette Mariani The Nursing Faculty Shortage: It’s Time to Find Our Voice t the time of this writing, it disappoints me to say that we are education and the key to improving the nursing shortage. Because of entering our third year of a global pandemic. The pandemic the faculty shortage, nursing programs across the country continue A has vastly influenced and dramatically changed the face of to turn away highly qualified candidates who are able and willing to health care and nursing education. It can also serve as a catalyst for become nurses, yet limited funding to support nursing faculty educa- nurse faculty to demonstrate the important role we have in educating tion and salaries remains an ongoing issue. the future nursing workforce. As educators and scholars, we play a We can cite the many reasons why nurses are leaving faculty critical role in advancing the science of nursing education through roles or do not choose to take a faculty role. It is also incumbent upon our research, scholarly work, and teaching. Throughout the pan- us to identify and disseminate the evidence about what motivates demic, we have tested new ways of thinking, teaching, and evaluating nurses to become faculty and what inspires us to stay. The faculty role under stressful and challenging conditions. is challenging; however, it brings with it the opportunity to influence In 2020 and 2021, nurses, including nurse faculty, were hailed as the future of nursing education, health care, and clinical outcomes heroes around the world. However, in many places, nurses are through scholarship, teaching, and service. Research that demon- overworked and underpaid and are leaving the profession, contrib- strates the influence of nurse faculty on the nursing shortage and, uting to an already critical nursing shortage. Nurse faculty, as well, more importantly, the subsequent effect of this on health outcomes are leaving the profession, leading to the critical question: How will for individuals, families, and populations is needed. This includes we be able to educate and graduate more nurses to influence the studies that identify the motivators for nurses who want to assume nursing shortage if we continue to have a shortage of well-qualified a nursing faculty role, what leads to retention and recruitment for nursing faculty? these critical roles, and the influence that nursing faculty have in im- Currently, according to the American Association of Colleges of proving the nursing shortage. Nursing (AACN), we know there is a 6.5 percent faculty vacancy rate, The Research Briefs section of Nursing Education Perspectives is with about 1,492 open positions (AACN, 2021). This has contributed the perfect place to disseminate the findings of single-site and feasibil- to more than 80,000 qualified applicants being turned away from ity studies that serve as a foundation for larger studies and provide nursing schools (AACN, 2020). Although the nursing faculty shortage foundational evidence to change and support the role of nurse faculty. was identified as critical for reversing the nursing shortage in 2010, Our impact as educators, scholars, and mentors for future educators, there seems to be little evidence that these numbers are improving, as well as nurses at all levels of the profession, is worth the investment and with an estimated 30 percent of faculty anticipated to retire by of resources, and we need to provide strong evidence and support to 2025, the shortage will most likely become worse before it improves those who fund the education of nurse scholars. (National Advisory Council for Nursing Education and Practice, 2021). Although I recognize the continuing challenges of conducting re- A recent survey (AACN, 2021) cites some of the same reasons for search throughout the pandemic, I look forward to your submissions the shortfall as in earlier years. Salaries that fall at less than 75 percent and the evidence you provide on the importance of nurse faculty in al- of our practice partners, high faculty workload, unfamiliarity with the leviating the nursing shortage. We must now, more than ever, help the faculty role, and lack of diversity are among a few of the reasons cited. health care community and the public understand and value our con- As we continue to search for evidence to advance the science of tributions. Thank you for your commitment to advancing the science nursing education while educating our future nurses at the prelicensure, of nursing education through your research. We are the future of master’s, and doctoral levels, we must find our voice to help others nursing education. understand and value our contributions. We are the drivers of nursing REFERENCES American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2020, September). AACN nursing fact About the Author Bette Mariani, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, Research sheet: Nursing faculty shortage. https://www.aacnnursing.org/news- information/fact-sheets/nursing-faculty-shortage Briefs editor for Nursing Education Perspectives, is vice dean for American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). Special survey on vacant fac- academic affairs and associate professor, Villanova University M. ulty positions for academic year 2021–2022. https://www.aacnnursing.org/ Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, Villanova, Pennsylvania. Portals/42/News/Surveys-Data/2021-Faculty-Vacancy-Report.pdf National Advisory Council for Nursing Education and Practice. (2021, June 10). Contact Dr. Mariani at Bette.Mariani@villanova.edu. NACNEP report: Preparing nurse faculty, and addressing the shortage of The author has declared no conflict of interest. nurse faculty and clinical preceptors. https://oadn.org/news/nacnep-report- Copyright © 2022 National League for Nursing preparing-nurse-faculty-and-addressing-the-shortage-of-nurse-faculty-and- doi: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000947 clinical-preceptors/ Nursing Education Perspectives VOLUME 43 NUMBER 2 73 Copyright © 2022 National League for Nursing. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Nursing Education Perspectives Wolters Kluwer Health

The Nursing Faculty Shortage: It’s Time to Find Our Voice

Nursing Education Perspectives , Volume 43 (2) – Mar 1, 2022

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References (3)

Publisher
Wolters Kluwer Health
Copyright
Copyright © 2022 National League for Nursing
ISSN
1536-5026
eISSN
1943-4685
DOI
10.1097/01.nep.0000000000000947
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Guest Editorial Bette Mariani The Nursing Faculty Shortage: It’s Time to Find Our Voice t the time of this writing, it disappoints me to say that we are education and the key to improving the nursing shortage. Because of entering our third year of a global pandemic. The pandemic the faculty shortage, nursing programs across the country continue A has vastly influenced and dramatically changed the face of to turn away highly qualified candidates who are able and willing to health care and nursing education. It can also serve as a catalyst for become nurses, yet limited funding to support nursing faculty educa- nurse faculty to demonstrate the important role we have in educating tion and salaries remains an ongoing issue. the future nursing workforce. As educators and scholars, we play a We can cite the many reasons why nurses are leaving faculty critical role in advancing the science of nursing education through roles or do not choose to take a faculty role. It is also incumbent upon our research, scholarly work, and teaching. Throughout the pan- us to identify and disseminate the evidence about what motivates demic, we have tested new ways of thinking, teaching, and evaluating nurses to become faculty and what inspires us to stay. The faculty role under stressful and challenging conditions. is challenging; however, it brings with it the opportunity to influence In 2020 and 2021, nurses, including nurse faculty, were hailed as the future of nursing education, health care, and clinical outcomes heroes around the world. However, in many places, nurses are through scholarship, teaching, and service. Research that demon- overworked and underpaid and are leaving the profession, contrib- strates the influence of nurse faculty on the nursing shortage and, uting to an already critical nursing shortage. Nurse faculty, as well, more importantly, the subsequent effect of this on health outcomes are leaving the profession, leading to the critical question: How will for individuals, families, and populations is needed. This includes we be able to educate and graduate more nurses to influence the studies that identify the motivators for nurses who want to assume nursing shortage if we continue to have a shortage of well-qualified a nursing faculty role, what leads to retention and recruitment for nursing faculty? these critical roles, and the influence that nursing faculty have in im- Currently, according to the American Association of Colleges of proving the nursing shortage. Nursing (AACN), we know there is a 6.5 percent faculty vacancy rate, The Research Briefs section of Nursing Education Perspectives is with about 1,492 open positions (AACN, 2021). This has contributed the perfect place to disseminate the findings of single-site and feasibil- to more than 80,000 qualified applicants being turned away from ity studies that serve as a foundation for larger studies and provide nursing schools (AACN, 2020). Although the nursing faculty shortage foundational evidence to change and support the role of nurse faculty. was identified as critical for reversing the nursing shortage in 2010, Our impact as educators, scholars, and mentors for future educators, there seems to be little evidence that these numbers are improving, as well as nurses at all levels of the profession, is worth the investment and with an estimated 30 percent of faculty anticipated to retire by of resources, and we need to provide strong evidence and support to 2025, the shortage will most likely become worse before it improves those who fund the education of nurse scholars. (National Advisory Council for Nursing Education and Practice, 2021). Although I recognize the continuing challenges of conducting re- A recent survey (AACN, 2021) cites some of the same reasons for search throughout the pandemic, I look forward to your submissions the shortfall as in earlier years. Salaries that fall at less than 75 percent and the evidence you provide on the importance of nurse faculty in al- of our practice partners, high faculty workload, unfamiliarity with the leviating the nursing shortage. We must now, more than ever, help the faculty role, and lack of diversity are among a few of the reasons cited. health care community and the public understand and value our con- As we continue to search for evidence to advance the science of tributions. Thank you for your commitment to advancing the science nursing education while educating our future nurses at the prelicensure, of nursing education through your research. We are the future of master’s, and doctoral levels, we must find our voice to help others nursing education. understand and value our contributions. We are the drivers of nursing REFERENCES American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2020, September). AACN nursing fact About the Author Bette Mariani, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, Research sheet: Nursing faculty shortage. https://www.aacnnursing.org/news- information/fact-sheets/nursing-faculty-shortage Briefs editor for Nursing Education Perspectives, is vice dean for American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). Special survey on vacant fac- academic affairs and associate professor, Villanova University M. ulty positions for academic year 2021–2022. https://www.aacnnursing.org/ Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, Villanova, Pennsylvania. Portals/42/News/Surveys-Data/2021-Faculty-Vacancy-Report.pdf National Advisory Council for Nursing Education and Practice. (2021, June 10). Contact Dr. Mariani at Bette.Mariani@villanova.edu. NACNEP report: Preparing nurse faculty, and addressing the shortage of The author has declared no conflict of interest. nurse faculty and clinical preceptors. https://oadn.org/news/nacnep-report- Copyright © 2022 National League for Nursing preparing-nurse-faculty-and-addressing-the-shortage-of-nurse-faculty-and- doi: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000947 clinical-preceptors/ Nursing Education Perspectives VOLUME 43 NUMBER 2 73 Copyright © 2022 National League for Nursing. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

Journal

Nursing Education PerspectivesWolters Kluwer Health

Published: Mar 1, 2022

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