Evaluating nurse practitioner faculty compensation, workload, and job satisfaction: A descriptive study

There is a growing demand for qualified nurse practitioner faculty. Barriers to attracting and retaining nurse practitioner faculty include high workload demands and significantly lower salaries than clinical practice.

The purpose of this study is to identify program characteristics, workload models, and compensation factors associated with nurse practitioner job satisfaction.

This descriptive study employed a quantitative descriptive design using a cross-sectional survey to explore nurse practitioner faculty programs, workload policies, and compensation. Data was collected to assess participant demographics, program characteristics, workload structures, compensation structures, and job satisfaction.

Seventy percent of respondents (n = 171) reported no workload reduction for clinical practice. A chi-square test of independence revealed that nurse practitioner perception of fair compensation had a significant association with nurse practitioner faculty job satisfaction (1, n = 111) = 12.918, p ≤0.001). Qualitative analysis also identified the need to increase faculty salaries to align with clinical practice as the theme present across all open-ended questions.

To support recruitment and retention of qualified nurse practitioner faculty, universities may need to re-evaluate compensation structures so that they are better aligned with those in clinical practice. Furthermore, universities should consider developing workload policies that recognize clinical practice as a valuable contribution to workload.