Meeting the nursing faculty shortage challenge: an accelerated doctoral program in nursing

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Doctoral Programs
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Addressing the critical nursing shortage.
• Increasing the number of qualified nurse faculty is essential.
• The need for accelerated pathways to doctoral nursing degrees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an accelerated doctoral program in nursing.
• To evaluate the academic progression of doctoral students.
• To assess postgraduation employment of nurse faculty.

Main Methods:

• Partnership between Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and a west coast nursing school.
• Funded 42 doctoral students across five cohorts.
• Program requires 3-year completion and 3-year faculty commitment.

Main Results:

• Two cohorts have successfully graduated.
• Graduates have secured faculty positions in nursing programs.
• Demonstrates program effectiveness in producing nurse faculty.

Conclusions:

• The accelerated program effectively addresses the nursing faculty shortage.
• Graduates are successfully transitioning into academic roles.
• This model shows promise for future nursing faculty development.