Purpose: The nursing faculty shortage has emerged as one of the most critical challenges facing nursing today. This shortage will persist throughout the next decade and is attributed to several factors including: the aging and impending retirement of a significant portion of the current faculty workforce, lack of qualified applicants, particularly those from under-represented groups, and non-competitive salaries (Fang & Kesten, 2017; National League for Nursing, 2018; Taylor & Gillespie, 2017). Additionally, despite the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2019) report on progress towards doubling the number of nurses with doctorates, efforts to produce faculty with the right mix of advanced credentials are needed to meet the global need for health professionals which is predicted to double by 2030. While efforts thus far have been successful, without a comprehensive solution, a worldwide shortage of approximately 15 million registered nurses, nurse midwives, and physicians is anticipated (Liu, Goryakin, Maeda, Bruckner, & Scheffler, 2017). Without adequate faculty, nursing education programs will be unable to educate additional students (Nardi & Gyurko, 2013). Innovative approaches to tackle the faculty shortage are needed (Nardi & Gyurko). To address these issues, a team from Salisbury University School of Nursing, in collaboration with the University of Maryland School of Nursing, created
www.LeadNursingForward.org. This grant-funded project, awarded by the Maryland Higher Education Commission as part of its Nurse Support Program (NSP) II, aims to increase awareness of the nurse faculty shortage, provide strategies and tips on how to become an educator, serve as a resource for accurate information about advancing education, and re-brand and promote the image of the nurse educator. Additionally, valuable resources such as grants, scholarships, and tuition reimbursement to help defray the cost of further education, are compiled. The site features an interactive “Explore Your Own Adventure” Career and Educational Pathways section to learn about different educator positions and maps displaying the locations and linking to the sites of Maryland nursing programs, hospitals, and health care organizations.
Methods: Beta testing of the informational website began in 2018; following University Committee on Human Research approval, a review panel of aspiring educators completed an anonymous online survey during a test launch of the site. In 2019, the Career Portal was launched to connect those interested in educator positions with potential employers. All users are able to create a secure profile to help them connect with the resources they desire, e.g. job seekers can find open educator positions in colleges, hospitals, and other healthcare organizations throughout Maryland. Employers are also able to search for candidates to fill vacant positions. A second beta test of the Career Portal was conducted.
Results: Survey respondents commended the ease of navigability, usefulness of information in easy to understand language, visual appeal, and urgent need for this site. Employers reported that postings were easy to create and search. Job seekers appreciated the ability to see the location of open positions on a map.
Conclusion: LeadNursingForward.org is beneficial as a “one-stop shop” that provides personal narratives, resources, opportunities, and nurse educator positions for anyone interested.
