Faculty Intent Research Articles

Burnout, Personal, and Occupational Factors as Predictors of Physician Assistant Faculty Intent to Leave After the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study addressed whether burnout, personal, or occupational factors predicted physician assistant (PA) faculty intent to leave and established a new postpandemic national benchmark for PA faculty burnout and intent to leave. In spring 2023, a nonexperimental, cross-sectional survey was emailed to 2031 PA faculty drawn from program faculty listings and the PA Education Association member database. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample, and a multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the predictive ability of the independent variables on intent to leave. The response rate was 30% (609 of 2031), with 496 responses (24.4%) included in the analysis. The sample reflected the population of PA faculty. The regression model significantly predicted intent leave ( P < .001). The adjusted R2 was 0.46, indicating the combination of independent variables predicted 46% of the variance in PA faculty intent to leave. Significant predictors included emotional exhaustion and identifying as multiracial ( P < .001), control and values ( P < .01), and depersonalization, fairness, rewards, and clinical year faculty role ( P < .05). The sample had moderate levels of burnout and experienced burnout at higher rates than in prepandemic studies. Physician assistant faculty in administrative leadership roles had the highest levels of burnout and intent to leave. Despite this, PA faculty intent to leave measures were similar to prepandemic levels. Several of the predictive variables were related to well-being and social-emotional aspects of the workplace. These findings have implications for institutional policies and practices that support faculty well-being and workplace culture to enhance retention.

Faculty participation in open access repositories (OARs) based on their individual traits

Purpose The number of open access repositories (OARs) has been growing globally, but faculty members have been reluctant to embrace OAR and submit their work. While there are studies that looked at sociotechnical factors that affect faculty participation in OARs, this study aims to explore how the individual characteristics of faculty might impact faculty willingness to deposit their work in an OAR. Design/methodology/approach The survey was distributed to all faculty at a large public university in the USA who were identified as having their primary job responsibilities in teaching and research. This study used a correlational analysis between faculty individual characteristics (i.e. age, rank, status and academic discipline) and their willingness to deposit their work. Findings The findings show that there is a difference in faculty familiarity with open access (OA) principles and faculty awareness of OA policy based on individual characteristics. Furthermore, these individual characteristics have a significant impact on faculty willingness to participate in OARs. While this study reveals a significant correlation between the faculty intent to deposit and the respondent’s academic discipline, rank and status, there are other factors that affect faculty intent to participate in OAR, such as familiarity with OA principles and awareness of institution’s OA Policy. Research limitations/implications There were no significant responses from the Colleges of Science or Health and Public Service and, therefore, did not yield any statistically significant results. Measuring the university’s promotion system was outside the scope of this research. Practical implications Results of this research can provide insight on how individual characteristics of faculty might impact their willingness to embrace OA publishing in general and OARs in particular. Social implications The findings from this research will be a valuable source of information for librarians and OA staff in developing more effective outreach programs to increase faculty participation in OA and OARs. Originality/value This study reveals that individual faculty traits do have an impact on faculty willingness to participate in OARs. The academic discipline was found to make the most significant difference in faculty intent to deposit their work in an OAR. However, due to the ever-changing landscape of OA publishing and the ongoing outreach efforts by librarians, the faculty members’ perception and participation in OARs is likely to evolve.

What Women Need: a Study of Institutional Factors and Women Faculty's Intent to Remain in Academic Medicine.

A longstanding gender gap exists in the retention of women in academic medicine. Several strategies have been suggested to promote the retention of women, but there are limited data on impacts of interventions. To identify what institutional factors, if any, impact women faculty's intent to remain in academic medicine, either at their institutions or elsewhere. A survey was designed to evaluate institutional retention-linked factors, programs and interventions, their impact, and women's intent to remain at their institutions and within academic medicine. Survey data were analyzed using non-parametric statistics and regression analyses. Women with faculty appointments within departments of medicine recruited from national organizations and specific social media groups. Institutional factors that may be associated with women's decision to remain at their current institutions or within academic medicine. Of 410 surveys of women at institutions across the USA, fair and transparent family leave policies and opportunities for work-life integration showed strong associations with intent to remain at one's institution (leave policies: OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.20-4.18, p = 0.01; work-life: OR 4.82, 95% CI 2.50-9.64, p < 0.001) and within academic medicine (leave policies: OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.09-5.03, p = 0.03; work-life: OR 4.66, 95% CI 2.04-11.36, p < 0.001). Other institutional factors associated with intent to remain in academics include peer mentorship (OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.56-6.57, p < 0.01) and women role models (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.04-4.68, p = 0.04). Institutions helping employees recognize bias, fair compensation and provision of resources, satisfaction with mentorship, peer mentorship, and women role models within the institutions were associated with intent to remain at an institution. Our findings suggest that institutional factors such as support for work-life integration, fair and transparent policies, and meaningful mentorship opportunities appear impactful in the retention of women in academic medicine.

Exploring the relationship between student-perceived faculty encouragement, self-efficacy, and intent to persist in engineering programs

ABSTRACT Copious research on Social Cognitive Career Theory has found student self-efficacy substantially related to persistence in engineering programs. The present exploratory study investigated the associations among faculty encouragement (a specific type of verbal persuasion in college context) and students’ self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and intent to persist in engineering majors using a sample of first-semester engineering students at a mid-sized public university. Analytical data were collected from 205 first-year engineering students in the fall semester at a mid-sized public four-year university in the United States. Results show that students’ perception of faculty encouragement can statistically significantly contribute to students’ self-efficacy and outcome expectations, supporting the hypothesis that student-perceived faculty encouragement was a source of self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Further, although students’ perception of faculty encouragement can influence students’ intent to persist, the effect was not directly transmitted; rather, it was found only through an indirect path via self-efficacy.

Scholarly Productivity and Occupational Stress Among Physician Assistant Educators.

Academic scholarship continues to challenge physician assistant (PA) educators in the United States, who typically enter academia with little experience in research or publication. Consequently, difficulty with navigating the promotion process might be expected to impact both job satisfaction and retention of PA faculty. Providing reasonable benchmarks for scholarship is one focus of this project, along with exploration of relationships among publication success, gender, job stressors, program support, and intent to leave academia. Deidentified data from the online 2017 Faculty & Directors Survey was obtained from the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), including gender, academic rank, program role, degree, publication numbers, and variables measuring program support, stressors, and intent to leave the institution or academia. Individual response rate was 60.3%, N = 1009. SPSS-v25 was used for data analysis. Respondents were 65% female. The mean number of total publications was 2.7 (down from 4.2 in 2010); the median was zero with 50.6% reporting no publications during their career. Almost half (45.5%) of PA faculty were stressed by research or publishing demands; 53.6% were stressed by the promotion process. Physician assistant educators stressed by promotion were more likely to consider leaving their institution or academia as a whole (Fisher's exact, P < .001 for both). This study updates publication benchmarks for PA educators. Scholarship levels have dropped since 2010, likely related to the recent influx of junior faculty. Navigating the promotions process is a significant occupational stressor for PA educators and is associated with faculty intent to leave academia.

Department Conditions and Practices Associated with Faculty Workload Satisfaction and Perceptions of Equity

ABSTRACTFor decades, national surveys have shown faculty report high levels of dissatisfaction with the distribution of labor in their departments, especially women and underrepresented minority faculty. Research suggests this dissatisfaction is warranted, as these groups are often engaged in more service, mentoring, and institutional housekeeping than their peers. Despite the ample work revealing workload inequities and their consequences, few studies have examined the backdrop of conditions and practices within which workload is perceived as more or less fair, especially within departments. Drawing on survey data from 30 academic departments in Maryland, North Carolina, and Massachusetts, we empirically test three propositions about the conditions under which faculty experience their department workloads as equitable. We found departments where faculty reported equitable work conditions and practices (e.g., transparency, clarity, rotations of time-intensive roles) were significantly more likely than departments where faculty did not report these conditions and practices to report satisfaction with workload distribution, and satisfaction with teaching and service activities. Department work practices and conditions had a small or insignificant effect on faculty intent to leave. Interestingly, faculty confidence in the ability to enact these practices and conditions, which we termed action readiness, was not predictive of faculty satisfaction with workload distribution or teaching and service activities. We outline implications for academic leaders seeking to make academic workloads more transparent and equitable, and for future research.

Positive and Negative Factors That Influence Health Care Faculty Intent to Engage in Interprofessional Education (IPE).

Background: This study explored the positive and negative factors that influence interprofessional education (IPE) implementation in health care education programs across the United States. Methods: The study sample consisted of 439 (response rate 8.4%) health care faculties from seven health care professions (nursing, medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, and social work) who were asked what the positive and negative factors are that influence their decisions to engage in IPE. Results: Three positive categories and two negative categories concerning factors that influence health care faculty (HCF) intent to engage in IPE emerged. The three major categories of positive factors emerged as patient care, which was mentioned by 196 subjects or 54% of the sample, student learning, which was mentioned by 157 subjects or 43% of the sample, and health care teams, which was mentioned by 88 subjects or 24% of the sample. The two major categories of negative factors emerged as scheduling and coordination, which was mentioned by 230 subjects or 63% of the sample, and discipline culture which was mentioned by 103 subjects or 28% of the sample. Conclusion: This study contributes to the body of knowledge concerning the factors that influence effective IPE implementation. Discussion is provided regarding the positive and negative categories that emerged and how they influence effective IPE delivery.

Working outside academia? Perceptions of early-career, fixed-term researchers on changing careers

ABSTRACTThis article examines the perceptions of early-career, fixed-term researchers in Finnish universities towards changing careers. It maps out the reasons this group has considered the change and where they see themselves in five years. As a theoretical framework, a synthesisation of variables related to career change, created by Ryan, Healy, and Sullivan [2012. “Oh, Won’t You Stay? Predictors of Faculty Intent to Leave a Public University.” Higher Education 63: 421–437.], was used. The results show that the most common reasons for early-career researchers to change careers are job-security related stress, job-related dissatisfaction, and salary. Over half of the respondents would like to work at a university in five years; however, half of the respondents would also be happy to work in industry. Further examination of the responses highlighted the polarisation of those academics who were optimistic about their future employment opportunities in academia and those with highly pessimistic outlooks. The results of the study bear crucial importance when addressing the current discussion and issues related to the career paths of early-career researchers in Europe.

The impact of burnout on doctorate nursing faculty's intent to leave their academic position: A descriptive survey research design

BackgroundDespite the fact that the great demands placed on many nursing faculty put them at high risk for job burnout; there are limited studies exploring the relationship between burnout and leaving their academic positions. ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to address the national nursing faculty shortage by examining demographics, teaching preparation in the doctoral program, and burnout to determine intent to leave nursing academia among PhD and DNP-prepared nursing faculty. DesignA descriptive survey research design was used to identify the most significant factors related to faculty intent to leave their academic position. SettingsAn online national survey of doctorate faculty throughout the U.S. was administered. ParticipantsFull-time nursing faculty who had earned a PhD or DNP degree in nursing with four or less years ofteaching experience after doctoral program graduation were recruited. MethodsData was collected from an the online survey posted on Qualtrics. Logistical regression models were used to interpret data significance. ResultsA total of 146 nursing faculty responded to the online survey. 51.4% of the respondents (n = 75) had a DNP degree and 48.6% (n = 71) had a PhD degree. 61% of the respondents were over the age of 50 with the remaining 39% of the respondents between ages 20 and 49. PhD-prepared faculty reported higher emotional exhaustion compared to DNP-prepared faculty. Findings revealed that degree type (PhD versus DNP), age, and emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in burnout were significant predictors related to intent to leave nursing academia. ConclusionsTo address the nursing faculty shortage issue, it is critical to create supportive and positive working environments to promote the well-being of nursing faculty, provide additional emotional support for the specific PhD-prepared faculty needs that contribute to burnout, and encourage nurses to begin an academic career earlier to help retain nursing faculty in academic settings.

The influence of campus climate and urbanization on queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum faculty intent to leave.

The influence of campus climate and urbanization on queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum faculty intent to leave.

Adjunct Nurse Faculty Demographics and Intent to Stay Teaching.

Adjunct nurse educators have become a primary facilitator of students' clinical learning in nursing education. However, studies are lacking as to variables that correlate with their intent to stay teaching. This study examined demographic variables that had an impact on adjunct clinical educators' decisions about whether to leave a teaching position in an associate degree nursing program. Full-time employment in addition to teaching as an adjunct faculty member predicted intent to leave the role. Measures to improve adjunct nurse faculty intent to stay are included.

Predictors of Physician Assistant Faculty Intent to Leave Academia: A Rasch Regression Analysis.

The purpose of this research was to investigate whether a previously developed and validated measure of intention to stay in academia for physician assistant (PA) faculty could also be used to inform PA faculty intent to leave academia and return to full-time clinical practice. A secondary analysis of the national survey data of PA faculty (n = 427) was conducted using a Rasch regression model. The 19 items from the previously validated Supportive Environment Scale were examined as potential predictors of the dichotomous outcome of intent to leave academia. In this analysis, PA faculty who were somewhat or very likely to leave academia were compared with those who were not at all likely to leave academia. Five items from the Supportive Environment Scale emerged as a linear meaningful measure that predicted intent to leave. These predictors included the following: recognition by administration, support for scholarly work, a fair promotion process, a sense of institutional community, and support of the PA program by administration. Rasch prediction maps were produced that allowed for powerful visualization of prediction and identification of areas for intervention. The intent of PA faculty to leave academia and return to clinical practice can be meaningfully predicted by 5 items. Importantly, these items are in the purview of institutional administrators and can be used to target PA faculty retention efforts.

Part-Time Nurse Faculty Intent to Remain Employed in Academia: A Cross-Sectional Study

The purpose of this study was to test and refine a model of part-time nurse faculty intent to remain employed in the academic organization. Cross-sectional survey methods were used. A total of 282 part-time nurse faculty working in colleges or universities in Ontario, Canada were invited to participate. Survey instruments and items measured demographic, workplace, nurse responses to the workplace, and external variables. Correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analyses were conducted using data from 119 participants (47.6% response rate). Of the 19 variables hypothesized to affect intent to remain employed in the academic organization, seven influenced intent to remain. The resulting model indicated that the older the part-time nurse faculty member, the lower the level of intent to remain and the more years worked in the organization, the higher the level of intent to remain. The more opportunities perceived to exist outside of the employing organization, the higher the level of intent to remain. Additionally, the more satisfied part-time nurse faculty were with their job overall, the higher their level of intent to remain. In the workplace, the more support from the leader, the more formal or informal recognition received, and the more fair work procedures were perceived to be, the higher levels of part-time nurse faculty intent to remain employed in the academic organization, mediated by job satisfaction. Although age, organizational tenure, and external career opportunities are non-modifiable variables, deans and directors can encourage part-time nurse faculty to remain employed in their academic job by focusing on enhancing overall job satisfaction. Effective strategies may include formal or informal acknowledgement of good performance, consistent verbal and behavioural support, and implementation of procedural practices, such as performance evaluations and pay raises in a fair manner.

Effects of met expectations, trust, job satisfaction, and commitment on faculty turnover intentions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Using data from 249 faculty members working at 26 different universities in the UAE, this paper examines the effects of met expectations, trust, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and availability of job opportunities on faculty intent to stay with their current employers. Results reveal that a substantial percentage of faculty members perceive that their employers are not meeting their expectations regarding voice in general decision-making process (58%), research support (53%), participation in major academic decisions (53%), and salary (47%). Results from path analysis show that met expectations have direct positive effects on employees’ trust, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. The results also demonstrate that each of trust, commitment, and job satisfaction simultaneously mediates the effects of met expectations on faculty intent to stay. Practically, these findings suggest that by meeting faculty expectations, universities can enhance faculty perceptions of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and trust, which in turn reduce faculty turnover intentions. Further practical and theoretical implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are offered.

Factors Predicting Physician Assistant Faculty Intent to Leave.

To examine demographic, human capital, organizational, and environmental factors and their ability to predict physician assistant (PA) faculty intent to leave their current position. The study was a nonexperimental, cross-sectional predictive design. A random sample of 994 PA faculty drawn from the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) database was invited to participate. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the respondents. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine construct validity of the variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the predictive ability of the independent variables on PA faculty intent to leave. The survey response rate was 34.5% (343/994). Data from 271 respondents were available for analysis (27.1%). Exploratory factor analysis identified 6 factors: the independent variables workload, autonomy, distributive justice, role conflict, and organizational support, and the dependent variable intent to leave. Mean Likert scale score for intent to leave was 3.06, indicating a low intent to leave. Regression analysis demonstrated a significant effect of the combination of independent variables on PA faculty intent to leave (F=9.86, P<.0001). The R was 0.40, indicating that approximately 40% of the variance in intent to leave was accounted for by the combination of independent variables in the model. Significant contributors were organizational support (β=-0.41, P<.0001), role conflict (β=0.15, P<.01), and age (β=-0.13, P<.05). The results of this study demonstrate that organizational support, role conflict, and age are significant predictors of PA faculty intention to leave. These results have implications for faculty development and retention efforts.

Assessing Faculty Learning Objectives—a Student Initiative

Faculty regularly review and update learning objectives for student learning activities such as lectures, small group sessions, on-line modules, and standardized patient or simulation encounters. The effectiveness of these learning objectives is linked to faculty evaluations in a general manner. The goal of this project was to assess the student-perceived usefulness of learning objectives, to provide feedback to faculty, and to determine if student-perceived usefulness of objectives was linked to student performance and faculty evaluations. An assessment tool was developed by students, revised, and validated prior to implementation during a 3-month study. Each learning objective was assessed during this period by members of the class (n = 242), and data were analyzed. The results demonstrate that particular types of objectives were identified as being more or less useful for student learning and that student perception of learning objectives varies from faculty intent. Analyses also showed students performed less well on questions linked to objectives considered less useful. However, performance was stratified into two cohorts. Stronger and weaker students performed well or less well, respectively.

Predictors of Nursing Faculty's Job Satisfaction and Intent to Stay in Academe

The retention of nursing faculty is a growing concern in the United States and a major challenge for nursing education administrators. This descriptive study used Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory of Job Satisfaction to explore the factors that predict nursing faculty's job satisfaction and intent to stay in academe. Institutional review board approval was obtained, and consent forms with self-administered questionnaires were posted on Survey Monkey. Participants included a convenience sample of nursing faculty teaching in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in Florida during the months of May and June 2010. Participants (N = 134) were directed to an on-line site to retrieve and complete the following questionnaires: (a) Job Satisfaction Survey, (b) Nurse Educators' Intent to Stay in Academe Scale, and (c) a researcher-designed demographic questionnaire. Highly educated, experienced nursing faculty reported having more intent to stay (P < .05) in academe. Conversely, age, health-related conditions, and family responsibilities were not significantly related to intent to stay. A significant relationship was found between the motivation-hygiene factor score and the intent to stay score, F(4, 94) = 13.196, P < .00. The significant relationship between the motivational factors (job satisfiers) and the hygiene factors (job dissatisfiers) and intent to stay indicated that the nursing faculty overall were satisfied with their jobs. The mean job satisfaction score was 105.20, with a standard deviation of 30.712. The results provide support that Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory is a strong predictor of nursing faculty's intent to stay in academe in Florida.

Focusing on the Future: Understanding Faculty Intent to Lead the Land Grant System

Many outside influences are altering higher education including a decline in resources, changes in stu- dent demographics, the impacts of technology, and the shift to an information age. The need for faculty members to become leaders that can handle swift changes to the culture of Colleges of Agriculture within the land-grant system are needed now more than ever. Recognizing the need, colleges and universities have devoted valuable resources to developing future leaders through leadership training. While admin- istrators who see leadership potential often nominate participants of leadership programs, little is known about why individuals choose to volunteer for leadership roles or emerge as leaders. Using the theory of planned behavior, this research explored how attitudes towards leadership training, subjective norms surrounding leadership, and perceived behavioral control over engaging in leadership related to and predicted intent to volunteer for a leadership role. Control, especially over one’s perceived amount of time to develop leadership skills, was the only significant predictor of intent. Recommendations included organizational assistance in the creation of capacity that will allow the faculty member to focus on devel- oping their leadership skills as well as the creation of a support network for the faculty member once they have completed training.

Mentoring New Faculty

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.

Nursing Faculty Characteristics and Perceptions Predicting Intent to Leave

This study identified characteristics and perceptions of nursing faculty that best predict their intentions to leave their faculty positions. The inadequate supply of nursing faculty is a situation that requires immediate intervention, yet evidence on factors associated with nurse faculty intent to leave their faculty positions is sparse. Survey data from 4,118 nurse faculty teaching in pre-licensure and graduate nursing education programs were analyzed. A conceptual model was designed to reflect six domains of factors contributing to the nurse faculty shortage and intent to leave. Two distinct multivariate models of characteristics and perceptions were determined to predict nursing faculty's intent to leave in the next year (n = 16) and next five years (n = 17). To address predictors of nurse faculty intent to leave, data-driven strategy recommendations based on the six domains model of contributing factors are presented. These strategies represent a small but important step in the process of resolving the nurse faculty shortage.