The Eastern Shore Faculty Academy and Mentorship Initiative (ES-FAMI) is one approach, offers training and mentoring to prepare expert clinicians as clinical teachers (Jarosinski, J., Seldomridge, L., Reid, T., & Hinderer, K., 2019). ES-FAMI, a grant funded collaborative program started in 2011, provided a foundation in educational theory, legal aspects of clinical teaching, giving formative and summative feedback, and strategies for dealing with difficult students. The Academy consisted of 30 contact hours of face-to-face and online instruction, simulated clinical teaching encounters, and mentoring.
In 2017, the Academy program expanded to satellite locations in partnership with nursing programs in Central and Western Maryland. Recruitment of experts from under-represented groups and those in high demand specialties (maternal/newborn, pediatrics, mental health, and community health) were primary objectives. A mixed-method program evaluation was conducted to assess the Academy’s success as a statewide solution to the faculty shortage
Methods: Participants completed two anonymous online surveys rating the extent to which Academy objectives were met and the effectiveness of various instructional methods. A semi-structured focus group conducted by an external evaluator allowed participants to discuss the entire Academy experience.
Results: Demographic data revealed an all- female group (n = 26), 73% (n = 19) white, and 27% (n = 7) black. Nine different clinical specialties were represented with maternity (n = 5), community health (n = 4), and critical care (n = 4) were among the top three. Half of the participants had completed degree and 69% (n = 18) were teaching for one of the partners.
Survey findings indicated that Academy objectives were met through the emphasis on ethics, learning theories and strategies. Highest-rated instructional methods included simulations wherein participants could actually do, and discuss, what they had been reading about and the interaction with course instructors who inspired their interest and engagement. Overall, participants expressed optimism in their potential as nurse educators.
Conclusion: Statewide expansion of this program has begun to address the faculty shortage by increasing the number of Academy-trained nurse clinicians available to take clinical faculty positions. More importantly this collaborative model demonstrated a practical and economical approach by sharing existing resources to address a common problem.