麻豆APP

The nursing shortage has fueled increased demand for nursing faculty. The average age of nursing faculty is increasing and many are expected to retire in the next decade. The demand to educate new nurses has led nursing schools to look for new solutions that solve the nursing faculty shortage. These solutions include developing new faculty roles that ease the transition from the bedside to academia. Since nursing faculty are on the forefront of creating the next generation of registered and advance practice nurses, increasing the number of nursing faculty, especially those of diverse ethnic backgrounds is also imperative to the advancement of the field. 

Nurses are an integral part of the healthcare team. Changing from clinical to academic life and balancing both can cause role strain. Role strain stems from a conflict between the familiar expectations in your current role as a clinician and the new demands of an academic position. Taking time to thoroughly consider the transition to academia is the first step. This tool kit and webinar are here to inform and serve as a starting point when considering a faculty role. A guide to mapping out the transition and the responsibilities of desired faculty roles are discussed.

The purpose of this tool kit is to:

• Explore the concept of role change and the impact of role change, from clinician to faculty, on the individual.
• To provide a theoretical framework for transitioning into a faculty role as described in the literature.
• To describe the faculty positions available for the clinician and provide a roadmap for attaining that position.

The definition of role change or role transition has been described in the literature as any transition from one set of behaviors to another. According to Melesis (2010) role transition involves the need to attain new knowledge, changes in social status and interactions with others that may lead to feeling of instability and uncertainty since self-identity and role change can occurs simultaneously as you move from novice to master in the newly defined role.

The transition from the role of nurse clinician to that of faculty and a member of the academic society can result in internal conflict and cognitive dissonance since the expectations as a clinician and the multitude of demands of an academic position. Clarke et al (2010) states that this incongruence can result in role stress which has four causes; ambiguity, incongruity, conflict and overload, which are below.

• Know the expectations of the academic institution
   
• Most institutions base retention, promotion and tenure decision on a combination of scholarly activity, teaching ability and service to the academic community.
   
• Discuss how each of these components is weighted.
   
• Seek a formal mentorship program or obtain a dedicated mentor within the first few weeks of employment and meet with your mentor at regular intervals.
   
• Professional development should be an ongoing process that takes responsibilities and expectations of the position into consideration.
   
• Establish administrative support through early communication when issues are discovered.
   
• Become immersed in academic culture by reading journals on nursing education in addition to clinical journals.

Suggested References

Anibas, M., Brenner, G. H., & Zorn, C. R. (2009). Experiences described by novice 
teaching academic staff in baccalaureate nursing education: A focus on mentoring. Journal of Professional Nursing, 25(4), 211-217. doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2009.01.008

Clark, C. L. (2013). A mixed-method study on the socialization process in clinical 
nursing faculty. Nursing education perspectives, 34(2), 106-110. doi.org/10.5480/1536-5026-34.2.106

Clark, N. J., Alcala-Van Houten, L., & Perea-Ryan, M. (2010). Transitioning from 
clinical practice to academia: University expectations on the tenure track. Nurse Educator, 35(3), 105-109.doi: 10.1097/NNE.0b013e3181d95069

Duffy, R. (2013). Nurse to educator? Academic roles and the formation of personal 
academic identities. Nurse education today, 33(6), 620-624. doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2012.07.020

Gazza, E. A. (2009). The experience of being a full-time nursing faculty member in a 
baccalaureate nursing education program. Journal of Professional Nursing, 25(4), 218-226. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2009.01.006

McDonald, P. J. (2010). Transitioning from clinical practice to nursing faculty: Lessons 
learned. Journal of Nursing Education, 49(3), 126. doi:10.3928/01484834-20091022-02
Penn, B. K., Wilson, L. D., & Rosseter, R. (2008). Transitioning from nursing practice to 
a teaching role. Online journal of Issues in Nursing, 13(3).
 doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol13No03Man03

Roberts, S. J., & Glod, C. (2013, April). Faculty roles: Dilemmas for the future of nursing 
education. In Nursing forum (Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 99-105).doi: 10.1111/nuf.12018

Schaar, G. L., Titzer, J. L., & Beckham, R. (2015). Onboarding New Adjunct Clinical 
Nursing Faculty Using a Quality and Safety Education for Nurses–Based Orientation Model. Journal of Nursing Education, 54(2), 111–115. doi:10.3928/01484834-20150120-02

Weidman, N. A. (2013). The lived experience of the transition of the clinical nurse expert 
to the novice nurse educator. Teaching and Learning in Nursing,8(3), 102-109. doi:10.1016/j.teln.2013.04.006

Ziehm, S., & Fontaine, D. K. (2009). Clinical faculty: tips for joining the ranks. AACN 
advanced critical care, 20(1), 71-81. doi: 10.1097/NCI.0b013e31819453ab

• Bednash, G., Breslin, E. T., Kirschling, J. M., & Rosseter, R. J. (2014). PhD or DNP: Planning for Doctoral Nursing Education. Nursing Science Quarterly, 27(4), 296–301. doi:10.1177/0894318414546415  
   
• Sonson, S. L. (2013). DNP-prepared APRNs: Leading the magnet?? charge. Nursing Management, 44(7), 49–52. doi:10.1097/01.NUMA.0000431425.39076.81

What Is Tenure?
A guaranteed job contract given to academic professionals that have shown skills over a period of time. It provides security from being laid off without sufficient justification.  Primary responsibilities include: teaching and research, independent program of research, publications,teaching undergrad and/or graduate students, serving as an academic/research advisor of students involvement.

Tenured Positions

• Tenured Professor
  After all other promotions have been reached
   
• Associate Professor
  On-Track to be a Full Professor upon evaluation of requirements needed for promotion. These requirements may vary by University/department.
   
• Assistant Professor 
  Entry level tenure-track position for PhD graduates. DNP graduates may also be eligible for entry-level tenure-track positions depending on the University. On-Track to be an Associate Professor upon evaluation of requirements needed for promotion. These requirements may vary by University/department.

Non-tenured Positions

• Adjunct Faculty
  Non-tenure/part-time/per course. Primary duty is teaching. This includes developing syllabi, coordinating curriculum, facilitating class instruction, evaluating student performance, holding office hours, maintaining course website (blackboard). 
  • Bachelors Degree (Required)
  • Master's Degree or DNP (May be required if teaching at graduate level
  • Nursing Experience (Active RN License
     
• Clinical Instructor
  Primary role is supervising students during clinical rotations. Coordinating with clinicians at clinical sites, making student assignments, instructing students on how to perform duties in the clinical site, evaluate students' work.
  • Active RN License
  • 2+ years of clinical experience
  • BSN (MSN or DNP Preferred)
     
• Research Faculty
  Sustain a program of research that provides their salary. Publish in peer-reviewed clinical journals, present research findings at conferences, advise students in research activities. Serve on thesis and dissertation committees. Teaching expectations are limited. 
  • Terminal Degree (PhD)

Suggested Resources:

Faculty Roles 

• Duffy, R. (2013). Nurse to educator? Academic roles and the formation of personal academic identities. Nurse Education Today, 33(6), 620–624. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2012.07.020
• Roberts, S. J., & Glod, C. (2013). Faculty roles: Dilemmas for the future of nursing education. Nursing Forum, 48(2), 99–105. doi:10.1111/nuf.12018 

Tenure

• Gaugler, J. E. (2004). on the Tenure Track in Gerontology: I Wish I Had Known Then What I Know Now. Educational Gerontology, 30(6), 517–536. doi:10.1080/03601270490445122
• Singh, M. D. (2015, July). An Exploration of the Pre-Tenure and Tenure Process Experiences of Nursing Faculty. In Sigma Theta Tau International's 26th International Nursing Research Congress. STTI
• Smeltzer, S. C., Sharts-Hopko, N. C., Cantrell, M. A., Heverly, M. A., Wise, N. J., Jenkinson, A., & Nthenge, S. (2014). Challenges to research productivity of doctoral program nursing faculty. Nursing Outlook, 62(4), 268-274.
• Sussman, S. M. (2012). Job satisfaction and support for transitions in the nursing academy: A qualitative study of tenured nursing faculty who stay in academia (Doctoral dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University).

Non-Tenure

• Paul, P. A. (2015). Transition from novice adjunct to experienced associate degree nurse educator: A comparative qualitative approach. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 10(1), 3-11.
• Nicholes, R. H., & Dyer, J. (2012). Is eligibility for tenure possible for the doctor of nursing practice-prepared faculty?. Journal of Professional Nursing, 28(1), 13-17.
• Schaar, G. L., Titzer, J. L., & Beckham, R. (2015). Onboarding New Adjunct Clinical Nursing Faculty Using a Quality and Safety Education for Nurses–Based Orientation Model. Journal of Nursing Education, 54(2), 111–115. doi:10.3928/01484834-20150120-02

AACN Career Center
麻豆APP online resource dedicated to employment opportunities in nursing education.

Listing of faculty positions (on-site or remote)

Provides nursing education modules for new educators

Graduate Nursing Student Academy Career Network
Job board developed through partnership between AACN and AfterCollege. 

To determine if you live in a state included in the Nurse Licensure Compact

Professional Organizations to Consider:
It is important to maintain membership in professional associations that are tied to your area of specialization or instruction.