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Learning Objective #1: Describe the core job characteristics associated with job satisfaction for the position of the academic nursing dean.

Learning Objective #2: Discuss strategies to increase the pool of candidates for the academic deanship.

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 The roles of academic deans in higher education are challenging and complex, yet longevity in these positions is relatively short. As the nation faces a massive nursing shortage, creative, visionary leaders will need to provide exemplary leadership in schools of nursing as the profession attempts to recruit and educate the next generation of health care providers. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the position of the academic dean in schools of nursing contains core characteristics associated with job satisfaction. The Hackman and Oldham Job Diagnostic Survey (1980), was mailed to the chief executive officer of 559 American Associate of Colleges of Nursing schools.  Forty-six percent responded, and data from 216 nursing deans was used in the study. Deans reported more Skill variety, Task significance, and Autonomy, and a similar amount of Task Identity and Feedback in their role, as compared to any other job family reported by Hackman and Oldham (1980). Further, findings indicated that overall job satisfaction was higher than any other comparison group. Thus, frequent turnover and limited longevity in the position may not be caused by the role itself, but may be the result of other factors indicating the need for further study.  Since nursing deans appear to be approaching the final years of their career, the profession must look at ways to increase the pool of candidates for the academic deanship.  Strategies must be explored to promote academia as a challenging career path, increase the number of nurses with the proper educational credentials, and foster opportunities to prepare academic nursing leader