Faculty preparation: a new solution to an old problem

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Nursing faculty positions are often filled by expert clinicians lacking formal education preparation.
• This mismatch between clinical expertise and educational skills presents challenges for nursing education administration and faculty.
• A persistent issue in nursing is the inadequate preparation of faculty members for their academic roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the need for improved educational preparation among nursing faculty.
• To describe the development, purpose, and outcomes of a novel Teacher Education Center.
• To provide a successful model for preparing expert clinicians for faculty roles.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of the Teacher Education Center at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Development of a program to equip expert clinicians with essential educational skills.
• Focus on preparing nurse practitioners and nurse midwives for faculty responsibilities.

Main Results:

• The Teacher Education Center demonstrated success in its primary objectives.
• Expert clinicians, including nurse practitioners and nurse midwives, were effectively prepared for faculty roles.
• The center provided a viable solution to the long-standing problem of faculty educational deficits.

Conclusions:

• The Teacher Education Center offers a successful model for enhancing nursing faculty preparedness.
• Addressing the educational skill gap in expert clinicians is crucial for effective nursing education.
• Innovative faculty development programs can overcome challenges in nursing academia.