Lack of Faculty Contributes to Nurse Shortage
One of the most critical components of improving the nurse shortage is to be able to adequately educate the next generation of them. But with the national faculty vacancy rate at 6.6 percent for nursing schools offering baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, the student to teacher ratio is suffering. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported in their 2009-2010 annual survey, that 54,991 qualified applicants were turned away from nursing programs largely due to a lack of faculty. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing provides a glimpse into the struggle nursing schools are facing when it comes to faculty vacancies in "Special Survey on Vacant Faculty Positions for Academic Year 2009 – 2010."
In the 2009-2010 school year, many schools were lacking when it came to their faculty. The survey reports that 56 percent of schools had vacancies and needed additional faculty, 21.2 percent did not have vacancies but needed additional faculty, and 22.9 percent did not have any vacancies and did not need additional faculty. Of the schools reporting faculty vacancies, the number of positions totaled 803, with a vacancy rate of 9.7 percent.
When it came to finding qualified candidates to fill vacant positions, 31.8 percent of schools preferred candidates who had a master's degree as well as a doctorate, and 58.8 percent required that candidates had earned a doctorate. Concerning the teaching level of the vacant positions, 31.7 percent of the positions called for teaching at the baccalaureate level, 29.7 percent at the baccalaureate and master's level, 10.1 percent at the master's and doctoral level, and 20.5 percent of the positions required teaching at all levels. The majority of the positions, 74.3 percent, required teaching in both classroom and clinical environments, while 22.5 percent of the positions required only teaching in a classroom.
According to the study, the major reasons keeping nursing schools from hiring additional full-time faculty for the school year included insufficient funds to hire new faculty, the inability to recruit qualified faculty because of job competition, and the lack of qualified applicants in the geographical area. When it came to faculty recruitment and retention, nursing schools faced many critical issues. Thirty-two percent of nursing schools had problems with noncompetitive salaries, 30.3 percent were faced with a limited pool of doctorally prepared faculty, and 16.5 percent had problems finding faculty with the right mix of specialties. Nursing schools also experienced issues with finding faculty that were able and willing to teach clinical courses and conduct research.
Top Online Nursing Programs
 |
University of Phoenix - RN to BSN. 27 Nursing Degrees. Students interested in reaching their career goals in the healthcare industry as a nurse will reach them at the University of Phoenix. University of Phoenix allows working adults the convenience of taking classes when they can.
 |
 |
South University - A.S. in Allied Health Science. As an accredited online college, South University offers a respectable Associate’s Degree in Allied Health Science for those seeking to pursue a career in healthcare. The program is offered completely online, allowing students to learn in their own time without sacrificing their current responsibilities.
|
 |
LA College - A.A. in Health Care Administration. With a handful of online health programs, LA College is a great choice for students seeking entry-level positions in the healthcare industry. Their Associate’s degree in Health Care Administration will provide students with the basis for a multitude of job opportunities in hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, and many others.
|
 |
Post University - BS in Mgmt. For Registered Nurses. Post University is dedicated in helping students achieve their personal and professional goals in a timely manner, allowing them to pursue their careers in healthcare more quickly. The Bachelor of Science in Management for Registered Nurses degree will prepare nurses to obtain administrative and management roles that require critical-thinking, decision-making, and leadership skills.
|
 |
Herzing University - BSN-Bridge Program. With nursing constituting as the largest healthcare occupation today, Herzing University has created quality nursing programs to fulfill the increasing demand in the industry. At Herzing, students receive hands-on training in order to help them enter the workforce with confidence.
|
 |
The College Network - 10 universities offering Nursing Degrees. The College Network is one of the nation's top providers in providing high quality nursing degrees online. Students have the opportunity to pursue a variety of HealthCare degrees that that will allow them to further their career in Nursing.
|
 |
Jones International University - B.A. in Health Care Mgmt. Jones International University offers a Bachelor’s program in Health Care Management that will help students become skilled and effective managers in the healthcare industry. Students could work in a variety of different settings upon completion of the program.
|
 |
Virginia College - BS in Health Services Management. Virginia College is dedicated in helping students achieve their goals and aspirations to advance in the health care industry. Their Bachelor’s degree in Health Services Management will prepare students for a variety of career options in assistant management or administrative positions within a healthcare facility.
|
 |
Western Governors University - B.S. in Nursing. Western Governors University is an accredited online university offering a variety of nursing and healthcare programs for students of all ages. Their Nursing program will incorporate patient education, health promotion, nursing roles, technology, and many other health related subjects.
|
 |
Baker College - B.S. in Nursing. Baker College allows students to complete their Nursing degree completely online, at their own pace and time. Their program provides current registered nurses with the opportunity to advance and continue their growth.
|
 |
Keiser University - B.A. in Health Services Administration. With several degree options in the healthcare field, Keiser University prepares students for a variety of positions in any healthcare setting. Their mission is to help students develop skills and knowledge that will prepare them for leadership positions upon graduation.
|
 |
Indiana State University - LPN to BSN. Students looking to jump start a career will find accredited an accredited RN to BSN nursing degree from the Indiana State University. Indiana State University was originally founded in 1865 and over this time has prepared thousands of students for new, exciting careers.
|
