Traversing academic rank promotion for nurse practitioner faculty

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Academic Advancement
• Faculty Development

Background:

• The expansion of nurse practitioner (NP) programs necessitates supporting NP faculty through academic promotion.
• NP faculty involved in clinical practice encounter unique challenges in achieving rank promotion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To offer an evidence-based framework for NP faculty pursuing academic rank promotion.
• To identify and provide guidance on overcoming implicit biases and barriers to promotion.
• To integrate clinical practice experiences into academic promotion criteria.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Boyer's (1990) scholarship of engagement and AACN (2018) guidelines as foundational frameworks.
• Outlined a pathway emphasizing scholarship, teaching, practice, and service categories.
• Introduced the Stager & Douglass Pathway for developing a promotion plan and dossier.

Main Results:

• The pathway provides actionable steps for successful promotion, including understanding guidelines, setting priorities, defining the clinical role, mentorship, and dossier preparation.
• Early dossier preparation allows for strategic planning with mentors and academic leaders.
• The process aims to mitigate identified biases and barriers.

Conclusions:

• Successful academic rank promotion for NP faculty requires a strategic, evidence-based approach that integrates clinical expertise with academic expectations.
• Mentorship and early dossier development are crucial for navigating institutional promotion processes.
• Addressing biases is essential for equitable advancement of NP faculty.