What are our priorities? Addressing the looming shortage of nursing faculty

Let's get our priorities straight. As we continue the essential educational upgrading of the profession through research-focused doctoral programs, and through the new CNL and DNP programs, let's be sure that at least some of these programs attend to the critical need for well-prepared nursing faculty (i.e., provide opportunities for and encourage students to take advanced coursework in nursing education). Let's also pay attention to the reality of limited capacity in our research-focused doctoral programs and look to other viable approaches to having a cadre of well-prepared faculty. For example, let's recognize, value, and reward the important role master's-prepared nurses, especially those with advanced coursework in nursing education, can and must play in our basic programs. And let's be sure that we have faculty in our ranks who have the training, aptitude, and credentials to conduct the research so critical to progress in nursing education.