Mentoring New Faculty

Abstract

According to an AACN Press Release 9-2010, the faculty vacancy rate continues to climb. Currently at a rate of 6.9%, the nurse faculty vacancies will continue to climb over the next ten years. Greater than 90% of these vacancies either prefer or require a doctoral degree and unfortunately, there are a limited number of doctoral prepared nurses. Along with the lack of doctoral, prepare nurses schools of nursing also have difficulty competing with healthcare and research organizations that can provide a limited pool of doctoral prepared nurses with higher salaries and benefits. Schools of nursing are also facing the impact of the nation's economic situation and with budget cuts and hiring freezes are not able to provide nurse faculty for their increasing enrollments.According to an AACN Press Release 9-2010, the faculty vacancy rate continues to climb. Garbee & Killacky, 2008 article: A recent study investigating the variables for nurse faculty intent to stay employed in academia concluded that years 1-3 are critical for retention methods and interventions. In fact, nurse faculty that were mentored or had “peer- support” and were doctoral prepared were the most committed to working in academia. It has been stated in numerous research Studies regarding nurse faculty, mentoring enables the novice nurse faculty member to balance work and life effectively and remain satisfied in an academic role. Race and Skees article 2010: Race and Skees noted several challenges with mentoring novice faculty; time management, toxic mentoring, mentor-mentee mismatches and variations in learning needs can poorly influence the mentor/mentee relationship and novice faculty intent to stay in academia. In this article, the authors conclude that an individual approach in necessary and that each mentoring relationship needs to be well planned and individualized to be successful. The lack of nurse faculty is directly affecting that demand for RN, and in return, we will be unable to meet the greying nations healthcare needs because of a lack of nurses. Novice nurse faculty face several new stressors when entering academia. First is the change of role and autonomy that is often a new experience for nurses. Students come with all types of challenges: from the student with personal problems to the behaviour of students within the classroom setting. Learning to manage the challenges of students can become extremely stressful. The entire academic environment can be a cultural shock for some novice faculty. For example learning the “academic pace” when one is used to the pace of a hospital environment can become frustrating and challenging for many. A formal mentoring program is the answer to success. Recruitment of qualified nursing professors and retention of these individuals is a hot topic.