Leased clinical faculty model: Bridging gaps in nursing education

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Workforce Development
• Academic-Practice Partnerships

Background:

• Critical shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) impacting nursing education programs.
• Limited availability of qualified clinical faculty presents a significant challenge for new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs.
• Need for innovative solutions to bridge the gap between academic training and clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an academic-practice partnership model designed to address the registered nursing (RN) faculty shortage.
• To detail a novel
• leased employee agreement
• facilitating the integration of practicing RNs into clinical instruction.
• To evaluate the initial impact and satisfaction with this collaborative model in a new BSN program.

Main Methods:

• Development of a "leased employee agreement" between a university and healthcare partners.
• Recruitment and employment of practicing RNs as part-time clinical faculty.
• Collaboration with Chief Nurse Executives (CNEs) to formulate the partnership model.
• Implementation of the model within a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.

Main Results:

• Successful launch of the BSN program with integrated clinical faculty.
• Positive initial feedback from students and clinical faculty regarding satisfaction and educational quality.
• Demonstrated a viable strategy for onboarding clinical instructors and leveraging practical expertise.

Conclusions:

• The academic-practice partnership model effectively mitigates nursing faculty shortages.
• Employing practicing RNs as clinical instructors enriches student learning experiences.
• Innovative partnerships are crucial for adapting nursing education to evolving healthcare demands.