Newswise — The national nursing shortage has inspired thousands of people to pursue careers as nurses. But as fresh students pour into the classrooms of nursing schools across the country, a new problem has emerged: a nursing teacher shortage.
The Department of Health and Human Services estimates a nursing shortage of 400,000 by 2012 and 800,000 by 2020 largely due to a lack of qualified professors.
A unique program at Saint Louis University that allows nurses to receive advanced education via the World Wide Web could address the shortage by creating more nurse scholars who are qualified to teach and conduct nursing research.
"The program is different from any other because it gives students the opportunity to be exposed to presentations by the best and the brightest in the field of nursing through audio and video presentations that will be available for students online or on a CD-ROM," says Andrew Mills, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the doctoral program at Saint Louis University School of Nursing.
No matter where students live, they will be able to study with an all-star faculty of nursing experts who present lectures about writing for publication and grants, policies that reduce health disparities, health promotion and disease prevention and caring for those that are acutely and chronically ill.
The program is not solely web-based. Those seeking an advanced degree are required to attend intensive six-week programs on campus during the summers, as well as one-week courses during January.
"I think it's important for the scholars to have personal mentoring with the instructors and interaction with colleagues," Mills said.
The rest of the course is done from the students' homes. Students will interact with faculty and other students using message boards and other forms of technology.
The program is underwritten by a $512,489 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to reach more nurses from an eight-state region who are interested in receiving an advanced degree. The program is designed to appeal to nurses in underserved areas " and particularly to minorities " by making it convenient to return to school.
Once nurses enter the workforce full-time, they find it difficult to take the time away from their career to pursue a doctoral degree, Mills says. Saint Louis University's program accommodates those nurses who do not want to stop working to get a doctoral degree.
"This program gives people, that otherwise would not be able to get an advanced degree an opportunity to receive a higher level of nursing education and ultimately teach other nurses," says Mills.
Founded in 1928, the Saint Louis University School of Nursing is among a handful of accredited schools to offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral nursing programs. The School of Nursing has established clinical agreements with more than 75 hospitals, clinics, and other health agencies and practitioners. Its faculty members are recognized for their teaching, research and clinical expertise.
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