Leading through the exodus: Retention solutions for the aging and attrition-driven nursing faculty shortage

The United States faces a critical nursing workforce shortage, with a projected deficit of nearly 208,000 registered nurses by 2037. A parallel challenge is the shortage of qualified nurse educators, intensified by burnout, anticipated retirements, and competitive recruitment practices often referred to as faculty poaching. This manuscript addresses the urgent need for retention strategies, grounded in ethical and visionary leadership that emphasizes justice, autonomy, and fidelity. Using illustrative case examples, faculty perspectives, and policy recommendations, it provides actionable approaches for building inclusive, sustainable, and ethically grounded academic environments. Key areas include the role of deans and human resources, integration of ethics into leadership development to support faculty retention and well-being, compensation equity, and adapting to generational and technological shifts. Aligning ethical leadership with structural reform and innovation can safeguard the nursing pipeline and ensure future workforce sustainability.