Background: A nurse faculty shortage has been established by the According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and factors contributing to the shortage include aging faculty, lack of doctoral prepared faculty and the economic cost of pursuing an academic career (AACN, 2017). Examining the perceived needs of nurse faculty can inform schools of nursing, policy makers, and the nursing profession of the development and retention needs nurse faculty desire.
Purpose: The basis of this study was to solicit nurse faculty perceived needs for development and retention in the academic setting. The goal of this study was to investigate and analyze nurse faculty development and retention needs from a quantitative and qualitative perspective.
Methods: This was a descriptive and exploratory study. Data was gathered with the use of an anonymous online survey after IRB and ethics approval was obtained. The target population included nurse faculty in a BSN or higher degree granting program. Participants were encouraged to rank 10 items related to retention from least important to most important. An open-end question regarding development and retention needs in the academic setting was presented to participants.
Results: Preliminary results will be obtained December 2018 and will be discussed at the time of the presentation. Demographic information will be presented in percentages and frequencies. Demographics will be compared to national norms. The 10 retention items will be overall presented in order of nurse faculty perceived importance. A qualitative content analysis will examine the perceived development and retention needs of nurse faculty (N=306).
Implications for Practice: Multiple variables influence the nurse faculty shortage (AACN, 2017). This study focused on the development and retention needs perceived by nurse faculty. Schools of nursing compete with practice setting for doctoral prepared nurses. Examining the perceptions of nurse faculty development and retention needs will provide valuable insight to the education needs of nurse faculty.
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