Nursing Schools in Rhode Island are turning down applicants due to faculty shortage. A total of 80,407 applicants from baccalaureate and graduate degree programs were turned down due to inadequate number of nurse educators. The decline in the number of nurse educators was attributed to several factors.
The shortage which the world is facing now, needs to be addressed as it is expected to continue for several more years. More nurses are leaving the hospital as well as nursing schools. Retiring faculties need to be replaced to avoid the collapse of healthcare. Nurse educators are equally-important as nurses working in hospitals. The workload is just as challenging as those working on the bedside.
The American Association of College of Nursing reported that the shortage might be due to retiring faculties and job competition. However, they considered budget constraints as the main reason. Additional funds are needed to hire new applicants.
Dr. Donna Schwartz-Barcott and Dr. Hesook Suzie Kim Nursing Fellowship
The Barcott-Kim Nursing Fellowship is working to attract nursing faculty members to help in addressing the shortage. Their recent activity has generated funds amounting to $1.7 million to expand the nursing program and increase the number of expert faculty members and researchers. These faculty members will help train new generations of nursing students.
The expansion of nursing programs nationwide will now be possible through the assistance of the Barcott-Kim Fellowship. The fellowship will support the selection of deserving nursing faculties. Registered nurses that will pursue research focusing on their areas of practice, can also apply.
What It Takes To Be A Nurse
Successful candidates must show commitments to both research and teaching. A higher point grade average must be maintained during schooling. The Fellowship prefers students who will enroll in Ph. D. programs but will also welcome doctor of nursing practice candidates.
Before choosing the nursing career path, the student must be knowledgeable about the profession. The aspirant must be knowledgeable on the nature of nursing jobs, they must know the challenges of being a nurse and must be aware of the nursing standards.
Read More On: How To Become A Nurse Step-by-Step
The Barcott-Kim Fellowship Impacts On Health Care
Dr. Shwartz-Barcott stated the importance of the Fellowship in several ways. According to her, through the Fellowship, full-time studies will now be possible. This possibility will enable aspiring nurse educators to gain full access to quality education. She also added that these nurse educators could very well gain insights from practice. Moreover, they can generate and synthesize knowledge that can be brought into the classroom and into their actual practice.
The Barcott-Kim Fellowship is also helping the URI College of Nursing to enhance the capacity of the College to impact healthcare, health education and research. Because of the assistance coming from the fellowship, the .College Master’s Degree program attained a higher rank nationwide. It rose from 130th to the top 50 this year. The Doctor of Nursing and the undergraduate programs were not left behind as they are also in the top ranks.
Key Takeaway
Due to several factors, the University of Rhode Island is experiencing faculty shortage. As a consequence, they are turning down several nursing applicants. Budget constraints were pointed to as the main reason for this current shortage. The Barcott-KIm Nursing Fellowship had extended help in several ways by helping to expand the nursing programs and provide study grants.
The Fellowship had attracted funds amounting to $1.7 million from generous donors. These funds will be allocated to support deserving nurse educator candidates to enroll in full-time studies whether in Ph.D. or in Doctor of Nursing programs. In the course of study, they will be taught to generate and synthesize new knowledge that can be applied in the classroom or in the actual practice.
The Fellowship which was established in honor of the two great nurse educators. It is currently supporting the URI College of Nursing to enhance their nursing programs as well as to improve areas in health care, education and research.