Navigating Resource Challenges in Nursing Education: Perspectives from a Dean of a Nursing Program
Submitted by Maureen Kroning, RN EdD
Tags: crisis healthcare system Nurse Education nurse shortage nursing students training
There is a critical shortage of nursing professionals nationwide which underscores the significance of adequately supporting nursing education programs. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the United States was projected to experience a shortage of registered nurses (RNs) that could reach over 500,000 by 2030. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected that employment of registered nurses was expected to grow by 9% from 2020 to 2030, a rate faster than the average for all occupations. AACN data indicated that factors contributing to the nursing shortage included an aging nursing workforce, insufficient nursing faculty to educate new nurses, and increased demand for healthcare services due to population growth and aging. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the shortage of nurse faculty was a major factor contributing to the overall nursing shortage. A scarcity of faculty has constrained the ability of nursing schools to admit and instruct proficient nursing students. At the nursing program where I serve as dean, there exists the potential to amplify enrollment from the current 515 students to exceed 1,000 nursing students if provided with the requisite resources which include investing and respecting the role of nursing faculty.
By investing in nursing faculty, colleges and universities can increase the number of well-trained nurses entering the workforce, thus helping to address this critical shortage. However, it is a common sentiment among nursing faculty at colleges and universities that their counterparts in other disciplines may not fully appreciate the rationale behind the seemingly greater need for resources, including financial compensation, within nursing education. As a Dean of a Nursing Program, I share this frustration and exhaustion stemming from the continual effort required to justify why nursing faculty necessitate higher salaries and greater resource allocation compared to many other departments within the institution.
Overall, the multifaceted nature of nursing education more often contributes to a higher workload for nursing faculty compared to their counterparts in other academic disciplines. Nursing education is multifaceted, a fact that many other disciplines do not fully understand. Nursing education requires:
- Extensive clinical experiences where faculty members supervise students in healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, and community health centers. This supervision involves coordinating student placements, providing direct oversight during clinical rotations, and evaluating students' clinical performance.
- Utilization of innovative skills and simulation labs to provide students with hands-on experience in a controlled environment. Faculty members must design and oversee simulation exercises, facilitate debriefing sessions, and assess students' clinical skills.
- Curriculum development and course preparation involve significant time and effort. Faculty members must design and update course materials, develop lesson plans, create assessments, and ensure alignment with accreditation standards and regulatory requirements.
- Individualized and small group clinical instruction due to the intensive nature of clinical instruction. This necessitates more individualized attention and mentoring from nursing faculty, increasing their workload.
- Scholarly activities, including conducting research, publishing articles, and presenting at conferences. Balancing teaching responsibilities with research obligations adds to the workload of nursing faculty.
- Remaining current with advancements in healthcare practice, technology, and education. This requires ongoing professional development activities such as attending conferences, workshops, and continuing education courses. Many nursing faculty maintain active clinical practice in addition to their teaching responsibilities which help students bridge the gap between theory and practice. Juggling clinical work with academic duties can further increase the workload and demands on their time.
- Adherence to accreditation standards and regulatory requirements set by organizations such as the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Faculty members are responsible for ensuring program compliance, which involves documentation, assessment, and reporting.
Frequently, I find myself in the position of a staunch advocate for the Nursing Department, continuously required to defend why nursing necessitates additional resources. Unfortunately, this recurring necessity has eroded my job satisfaction and raised concerns about the capacity of nursing programs nationwide to expand enrollment and alleviate the pressing shortage of nurses across the country. It is imperative for administration not only to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of nursing faculty but also to prioritize investments in nursing education. Furthermore, there is a pressing need for administration to recognize and respect the substantial contributions that a nursing department offers to the entire college or university community.
Through fostering collaborative dialogue and cultivating mutual understanding, we can strive towards ensuring equitable support for nursing faculty and nurturing excellence in nursing education. It is essential for the college or university community to understand that nursing students are not solely engaged in specialized nursing coursework; they also undertake a diverse range of general education courses. This integration not only enriches the nursing program but also positively influences enrollment across various other departments within the institution.
Nurses serve as indispensable pillars in healthcare delivery, providing direct patient care, championing health promotion, and mitigating illness. Investing in nursing faculty is an investment in enhancing healthcare outcomes and addressing the healthcare needs of communities. Recognizing the pivotal role of nursing education and fostering a supportive environment for nursing faculty are paramount steps towards advancing the quality of nursing education and addressing the critical shortage of nurses nationwide.
AACN, Fact Sheet: Nursing Shortage. Retrieved at: https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Fact-Sheets/Nursing-Shortage-Factsheet.pdf