The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing
Vol. 40 No. 5 May 2009
By Joan Insalaco Warren, PhD, RN-BC, NEA-BC; Mary Etta Mills, ScD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
ABSTRACT
Master’s-prepared nurses are required as faculty and educators in the hospital setting to meet the increasing demands of today’s health care environment. A non-experimental, descriptive study design was used to examine nurses’ preferences for organizational incentives and rewards that might motivate them to return for an advanced nursing degree. Using findings from this research study, a grant was developed and funded to address the need to both fill expected vacancies in the nursing work force and reduce the clinical nursing instructor shortage through a strategic academia and service partnership. A cohort model and mentorship program to identify nurses and then encourage and assist them in matriculating and completing an advanced degree in nursing was developed. One expected outcome of the proposed collaborative arrangement is to increase the number of registered nurses prepared at the graduate level to create a pool of individuals qualified to serve as clinical instructors, faculty, and preceptors while maintaining their hospital positions. Another expected outcome is to provide a path for nurses to pursue graduate education.
J Contin Educ Nurs 2009;40(5):200-207.
AUTHORS
Dr. Warren is Director, Professional Practice and Research, Franklin Square Hospital Center, Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Mills is Professor, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland.
The authors disclose that they have no significant financial interests in any product or class of products discussed directly or indirectly in this activity, including research support.
Presented in part at the American Academy of Nursing Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, November 8, 2007; and at the 38th Biennial Convention of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Indianapolis, Indiana, November 16, 2006.
Dr. Warren thanks her dissertation committee for their support and guidance with this research project. She was named the Julia Hardy, RN/ANF Scholar and was the recipient of a 2003 American Nurses Foundation Grant that was used to support this research. The authors would also like to acknowledge the Maryland Higher Education Commission for providing grant funding to support the Partnership Model implementation.
Address correspondence to Dr. Joan Insalaco Warren, Franklin Square Hospital Center, 9000 Franklin Square Drive, Baltimore, MD 21237.
doi:10.9999/00220124-20090422-01
