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In this Higher Ed Careers interview, we are joined by Dr. Rosalind Woodson, senior director of nursing – North region at Herzing University. She shares how the university is navigating the difficult landscape of nursing education and offers strategies other schools can use to build and diversify the future nursing workforce.
Andrew Hibel, HigherEdJobs: Dr. Woodson, will you please explain some of the workforce challenges and demographic shifts affecting the field of nursing?
Dr. Rosalind Woodson, Herzing University: Important demographic changes, such as an aging population and a rising demand for healthcare services, have presented workforce challenges in the nursing field. The increasing elderly population requires skilled nurses to care for patients with complex medical needs, while the aging nursing workforce itself faces retirement, leading to a shortage of experienced nurses. This scarcity can impact the quality of care delivered. To address these challenges, healthcare organizations are implementing strategies like competitive salaries, flexible work schedules, and professional growth opportunities to recruit and retain nurses.
Efforts are also being made to enhance diversity within the nursing workforce to better reflect the communities they serve. A lack of diversity in healthcare has been linked to disparities in health outcomes for Underrepresented Minority (URM) groups, as patients often feel more comfortable with providers who share their background. Enhancing diversity can strengthen trust between patients and nurses, potentially resulting in improved adherence to healthcare advice. Efforts to address workforce challenges and demographic shifts highlight the need for an adequate supply of qualified nurses to meet evolving healthcare demands.
https://online.campbellsville.edu/nursing/how-demographics-affect-healthcare-and-nursing/
Hibel: Currently, on HigherEdJobs, we have over 2,400 nursing faculty jobs listed on our site. Do you have any thoughts on the hiring trends across the country for nursing faculty?
Woodson: The demand for nursing faculty positions in the United States is expected to remain strong in the coming years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Between 2020 and 2030, an average of 194,500 annual openings for registered nurses is projected, driven by factors such as the aging population, increasing healthcare needs, and the expansion of healthcare facilities and educational programs. Universities and hospitals are actively recruiting qualified nursing faculty, offering competitive salaries and benefits, as well as opportunities for remote and online teaching to provide flexibility.
The current hiring trends indicate various opportunities nationwide, as there is an increasing need for nursing educators due to faculty shortages. To address this shortage, nursing programs are implementing innovative solutions to attract and retain faculty, including competitive salaries, professional development opportunities, and flexible work arrangements. Employment for nursing faculty is expected to grow by 6% between 2022 and 2032, resulting in approximately 193,100 job openings each year.
The demand for qualified nursing educators is driven by the need to train the next generation of nurses and meet expanding healthcare needs. The competition among schools to recruit and retain nursing faculty members is intensifying, with many institutions offering competitive salaries and incentives. In summary, the current hiring trends for nursing faculty reflect the ongoing demand for qualified instructors in the field of nursing education.
https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/
Hibel: You discussed faculty inclusivity as a key initiative at Herzing. Can you please discuss the importance of having a diverse representation in faculty and how Herzing is working towards this?
Woodson: Having a diverse representation in faculty is crucial in nursing education as it enriches the learning environment, promotes cultural competence, and provides students with a variety of perspectives and experiences to draw from. At Herzing, we recognize that a diverse faculty helps to better prepare our students for the diverse patient populations they will encounter in clinical practice. By having faculty members from various backgrounds, ethnicities, and experiences, we are able to offer a more inclusive and equitable education that reflects the reality of the healthcare landscape.
Additionally, Herzing is committed to continuously evaluating and improving our practices to ensure that diversity and inclusivity remain at the forefront of our mission as we prepare the next generation of nurses.
We have implemented various strategies such as targeted recruitment efforts, retention initiatives, thorough orientation programs, continuous professional development opportunities, and personalized performance evaluations based on faculty competencies. As part of our recruitment efforts, we proudly encourage our own graduates to explore positions as faculty members or in other roles within the institution. A shining example of this is one of our program chairs, who not only completed both the prelicensure and graduate nursing programs but also earned a Doctorate of Nursing Practice, a testament to the potential for growth and success within our institution.
A fundamental principle at Herzing University is the celebration of diversity within the classroom, encompassing distinctions in age, gender, culture, socioeconomic background, preferred learning style, and prior academic and professional experiences. Teaching a diverse group of students with varying levels of expertise, skills, and backgrounds is a challenging yet rewarding task. It necessitates faculty members to play a pivotal role in closely monitoring individual student engagement and progress, providing tailored support for each student’s success. This underscores the significant impact our faculty have on our students’ academic journey.
Hibel: Building a sense of belonging from day one is shown to have positive effects on employees as well as improve retention. You mentioned your orientation program. Will you explain this and other resources you have to support your faculty?
Woodson: Faculty are required to complete New Faculty Orientation (NFO) during their first term of teaching. The objective of this course is to acclimate faculty to Herzing University’s culture, systems, policies, and procedures as well as to establish relationships with other new faculty throughout the University.
- Eight faculty competencies are woven into orientation, onboarding, professional development, and performance expectations
- Resources from external vendors like Go2Knowledge and NurseTim are mapped to competencies and strategic priorities
- End-of-course student surveys provide feedback mapped to the competencies
Here are a few examples of NurseTim resources that support professional development in the area of DEI.
- Developing an Environment Supporting Diverse Student Success
- Disabilities and Accommodations: How to Help Students with Special Needs
- Creating Culturally Responsive Case Studies and Assessments
- Generational Diversity: Helping students of All Ages Succeed
- Supporting Gen Z students – Strategies to Develop Professional Identity and Enhance Learning
- Culture, Health, Nursing Education: The Changing Landscape
Additionally, Herzing has a Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE).
This resource center is filled with information to provide faculty with ongoing support during their appointment. The CFE includes links to professional development options, academic rank and promotion criteria, faculty competencies, classroom performance standards, and the faculty role as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion resources including links, videos, and content focused on the following topics:
- Deconstructing Implicit Biases
- The Implicit Association Test
- Addressing and Framing Privilege
- Privilege in the classroom
- Ways instructor privilege may impact students
- Helping students address their privilege
- Strategies for Guiding Difficult Discussions
- Inclusive Teaching Strategies and Reflective Teaching
- Using Pronouns and Gender Inclusive Language
Hibel: Thank you for sharing some of your strategies for diversifying and supporting your nursing faculty. Switching gears, let’s talk about diversifying your student population, which is the future of the nursing workforce. As of 2022, male nurses comprised about 12% of the national nursing workforce and 33% of all nurses identified as Black, Asian, Hispanic or Latino/a. How can higher education work to create a more diverse nursing workforce?
Woodson: Higher education institutions can work to create a more diverse nursing workforce by implementing recruitment efforts that specifically target underrepresented minorities, providing financial support and scholarships to minority students pursuing nursing degrees, offering cultural competency training to faculty and students, and creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds.
Additionally, schools can partner with community organizations and healthcare facilities to provide more clinical opportunities for minority nursing students and promote career advancement opportunities for diverse nursing professionals. By actively addressing disparities in representation and supporting diversity initiatives, higher education can play a key role in building a more inclusive and equitable nursing workforce.
https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/enhancing-diversity-in-the-nursing-workforce
Hibel: In your opinion, what is the most rewarding part of working in higher education, specifically in the area of nursing education?
Woodson: The most rewarding part of working in higher education, specifically in nursing education, is the opportunity to shape and influence the future of the nursing profession. By educating and mentoring the next generation of nurses, I can impart my knowledge and experience to them, helping to mold them into competent and compassionate healthcare providers. Witnessing their growth and development as they progress through their education and ultimately enter the workforce is incredibly fulfilling, knowing that I have played a role in their success and the impact they will have on patient care.
Additionally, being able to contribute to the advancement of nursing education through research, curriculum development, and collaboration with colleagues allows for continuous learning and innovation in the field. Overall, the ability to make a meaningful impact on both individual students and the broader healthcare community is what makes working in nursing education so rewarding.