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Description
The ongoing faculty shortage in nursing schools across the United States presents a significant barrier to addressing the escalating demand for registered nurses. This shortage has led to a substantial reduction in the capacity of nursing programs to admit qualified students. Despite targeted efforts and investments by federal and state agencies, the faculty shortage persists, exacerbated by non-competitive academic salaries, high workloads, and a pervasive lack of recognition for the faculty role within academic institutions. The disparity in compensation between clinical practice and academic roles, along with the requirement for advanced degrees in academia, further discourages nurses from pursuing faculty positions. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has long emphasized the critical link between the broader nursing shortage and the deficit in nursing faculty. A 2021 AACN survey reported 8% national faculty vacancy rate—the highest since 2013. With projections that nearly one-third of the aging nursing faculty workforce will retire by 2025, the situation demands immediate, bold, and collaborative action. In response to these challenges, the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) and MaineGeneral launched a collaborative initiative in 2021 designed to address the clinical education needs of nursing students. This partnership, which established a clinical educator role filled by a baccalaureate prepared nurse from Maine General, has successfully expanded to include multiple healthcare organizations across the communities UMA serves. This cost-effective, scalable model could serve as an exemplar for mitigating the faculty shortage.
Publication Date
10-28-2024
Recommended Citation
Gauvin, Shannon and Bellaire, Erin, "Bridging the gap: Tackling nursing faculty shortages through innovative partnerships" (2024). Rural Issues Symposium. 68.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/rural_issues/68