The growing nurse faculty crisis

Nursing schools are turning down students because of a faculty shortage. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) says schools turned away more than 65,000 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2023, noting nearly 2,000 faculty vacancies in October of that year. The age of most faculty is between 47 and 61, and AACN says a “wave of retirements” is expected in the next decade. Salaries are also higher in clinical and private-sector settings. AACN is advocating for federal funding for faculty development and is collaborating with national nursing organizations to help identify solutions.