Project Grant E0153157

NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM - THE PURPOSE OF THIS APPLICATION, CONSISTENT WITH THE AIMS OF THE HRSA NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED NURSING FACULTY IN NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF THE EDUCATION OF ADVANCED EDUCATION NURSING STUDENTS WHO WILL SERVE AS FACULTY UPON GRADUATION, AND TO DECREASE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF PREPARING STUDENTS TO SERVE AS NURSE EDUCATORS. EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY IS ONE OF 17 STATE-SUPPORTED SCHOOLS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH (UNC) SYSTEM AND IS THE 4TH LARGEST SCHOOL IN THE UNC SYSTEM IN ENROLLMENT. OUR MISSION PROVIDES DIRECTION FOR ALL GRADUATE NURSING PROGRAM IN THE COLLEGE OF NURSING. THAT THREE-PART MISSION INCLUDES ASSURING STUDENT SUCCESS AND REGIONAL TRANSFORMATION AS WELL AS PROVIDING PUBLIC SERVICE. EACH OF THESE THREE ELEMENTS IS A PART OF THE ONGOING OPERATIONAL GOALS OF OUR UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE NURSING PROGRAMS. EAST CAROLINA COLLEGE OF NURSING IS THE LARGEST EDUCATOR OF PRE-LICENSURE NURSING STUDENTS IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. OUR COLLEGE IS CONSISTENTLY HONORED WITH NATIONAL LEAGUE OF NURSING CENTER OF EXCELLENCE DESIGNATIONS, AND OUR INNOVATION ONLINE OFFERINGS CONSISTENTLY EARN US RECOGNITION AMONG THE TOP DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY ACCORDING TO THE US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT. AS PART OF ECU'S HEALTH SCIENCES CAMPUS, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF NURSING, DENTISTRY, MEDICINE, AND ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES, INTREPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IS AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO. THE NATIONAL NURSING FACULTY SHORTAGES IS WELL DOCUMENTED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES OF NURSING (AACN). THE NORTH CAROLINA BOARD OF NURSING REPORTS A CURRENT NEED FOR OVER 100 ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME FACULTY MEMBERS. THE MAJOR FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO A DECREASE IN FACULTY AVAILABLE TO TEACH IS THE RISING AGE OF FACULTY, WITH A WAVE OF FACULTY RETIREMENTS IN PROGRESS, AND THE RISE OF THE DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE DEGREE OPTION FOR NURSE CLINICIANS WHO ARE ALSO NURSE EDUCATORS, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PHD APPLICANTS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ONE THIRD OF THE CURRENT NURSING FACULTY IN THE WORKFORCE WILL RETIRE BY 2025. ACCORDING TO AACN, THE AVERAGE AGES FOR DOCTORALLY PREPARED NURSE FACULTY HOLDING THE RANK OF ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, OR PROFESSOR RANGE FROM 50.6 YEARS TO 62.5 YEARS OF AGE. FOR MASTER'S PREPARED FACULTY, AGES RANGE FROM 48.6 YEARS TO 55 YEARS. THIS, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT ABOUT 1/3 OF THE CURRENT FACULTY WORKFORCE EXPECT TO RETIRE BY 2025 MAKES EDUCATING FUTURE NURSE EDUCATORS AN URGENT PRIORITY. NORTH CAROLINA FACES A SIGNIFICANT NURSE FACULTY SHORTAGE THAT IS PROJECTED TO REMAIN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. IN 2024, THE SUPPLY OF NURSING FACULTY IS 35.7% LOWER THAN THE DEMAND. ADDING TO THE DILEMMA OF FACULTY SHORTAGES, THE UNC BOARD OF GOVERNORS, THE GOVERNING BODY FOR UNC SYSTEM SCHOOLS HAS IMPLEMENTED A GOAL OF GRADUATING 50% MORE NURSES INTO THE WORKFORCE OF NORTH CAROLINA WITHIN THE NEXT 5 YEARS. THIS IS AN AMBITIOUS GOAL THAT CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO WILL BECOME NURSE EDUCATORS. CONSISTENT WITH THE DOCTORAL PRIORITY FUNDING AIM OF THE NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM, MOST OF THE FUNDING REQUESTED WILL SUPPORT DOCTORAL STUDENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO SERVE AS NURSE EDUCATORS UPON GRADUATION.