Multidimensional approaches to extending nurse faculty resources without testing faculty's patience

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• Declining numbers of nurse faculty exacerbate shortages, particularly for physically demanding clinical courses.
• Experienced faculty often retire early due to health issues and the rigors of clinical teaching, worsening the shortage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore multidimensional strategies for extending nursing faculty resources.
• To assess the utility of high-fidelity simulation laboratories as a sustainable educational model.
• To identify methods for retaining experienced faculty and attracting new educators.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing on-campus, high-fidelity simulation laboratories as an alternative to hospital-based clinicals.
• Implementing faculty sharing across different nursing programs.
• Leveraging graduate teaching assistants in laboratory settings.
• Employing senior nursing students to validate basic skills of junior students.

Main Results:

• High-fidelity simulation provides a less physically demanding environment, allowing experienced faculty to continue contributing.
• Simulation laboratories can attract younger nurses to faculty roles.
• Collaborative strategies like faculty sharing and peer validation can augment instructional capacity.

Conclusions:

• High-fidelity simulation and other innovative strategies are crucial for extending nursing faculty resources.
• These approaches can mitigate the impact of faculty shortages on nursing education.
• Adopting these methods can support both experienced and aspiring nursing faculty.