Nursing Faculty Shortage Impact on Nursing Students: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Studies
• Phenomenological Research

Background:

• The nursing education sector faces a critical shortage of clinical instructors (CI) or faculty members.
• The global nursing shortage and pandemic exacerbated faculty deficits in educational institutions.
• This shortage profoundly impacts the quality and delivery of nursing education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of undergraduate nursing students during faculty shortages.
• To understand the impact of nursing faculty deficits on student learning in higher education.
• To identify challenges faced by nursing students due to insufficient faculty.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive phenomenological research design.
• In-depth interviews with seven undergraduate nursing students.
• Colaizzi's approach utilized for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Three emergent themes: disruptions in learning, student responses, and a call to action.
• Significant disruptions observed in scheduled lectures, academic activities, and clinical rotations.
• Student learning experiences were substantially impacted by the faculty shortage.

Conclusions:

• Immediate and comprehensive strategies are essential to address the nursing faculty shortage.
• Despite institutional interventions, the impact on student learning remains considerable.
• Effective solutions are urgently needed to ensure optimal learning experiences for future nurses.