Increasing Faculty Resources and Student Capacity Through Shared Faculty Expertise

BACKGROUNDThe ongoing nurse faculty shortage has resulted in a need for schools of nursing to become both innovative and creative in their approach to nursing education. A literature review revealed some schools of nursing across the United States are sharing faculty for undergraduate and pre-licensure nursing programs. PURPOSEThe purpose of this pilot project was to explore the effectiveness of a shared faculty content expert in a live-streamed lecture modality to improve nursing schools' access to high quality specialty content. The feasibility and satisfaction of sharing a course and faculty between two independent schools of nursing were evaluated. METHODSAn online synchronous format was utilized to share a mental health nursing course between two independent schools of nursing. RESULTSResults indicated that theoretical classroom content and experiences can be shared and delivered synchronously among schools of nursing; however, challenges existed related to scheduling conflicts. Additionally, technology issues were found to negatively impact the student experience at times. CONCLUSIONGiven the challenges identified in the project, an asynchronous content delivery modality may be a more advantageous option. Future research is needed to identify ways to mitigate the challenges experienced.