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

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Faculty Development
• Healthcare Workforce Studies

Background:

• Growing demand for qualified nurse practitioner (NP) faculty.
• Key barriers include high workload and lower salaries compared to clinical practice.
• Need to identify factors influencing NP faculty job satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify program characteristics, workload models, and compensation factors linked to NP faculty job satisfaction.
• Explore elements contributing to a positive work environment for NP educators.
• Inform strategies for enhancing NP faculty retention.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative descriptive, cross-sectional survey design.
• Data collected on demographics, program characteristics, workload, compensation, and job satisfaction.
• Statistical analysis (chi-square) and qualitative thematic analysis used.

Main Results:

• 70% of respondents lacked workload reduction for clinical practice.
• Perception of fair compensation significantly associated with NP faculty job satisfaction (p ≤ 0.001).
• Qualitative data highlighted the need for salary alignment with clinical practice.

Conclusions:

• Re-evaluating compensation structures to align with clinical practice is crucial for NP faculty recruitment and retention.
• Developing workload policies that acknowledge clinical practice as a valuable contribution is recommended.
• Addressing compensation and workload can improve NP faculty job satisfaction and support the nursing education pipeline.