PITTSBURGH – At a time when nursing school faculty shortages continue to be a factor in limiting the number of students who can be admitted, Carlow University has received a grant which underscores the importance of nurse educators to prepare learners to meet the critical need for care – locally, regionally and globally.
“Carlow University is the proud recipient of a grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration’s Nursing Faculty Loan Forgiveness Program for the 2020-2021 academic year,” said Renee Ingel, PhD, associate professor and director of the DNP, MSN in Education and Leadership, and MSN/MBA programs at Carlow. “This federal loan provides financial assistance to working nurses seeking to advance their career, including current Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) students who are interest in pursuing positions in nursing education.”
Under the terms of this grant, which Carlow has received twice in the past three years, graduate students in the DNP or MSN in education and leadership programs can have up to 85 percent of their student loans forgiven if they obtain a full-time-equivalent faculty position within one year of graduation.
Ingel says graduates who combine part-time positions can also qualify for loan forgiveness, as long as the credit hours add up to the equivalent of a full-time position.
This grant is coming at a critical time for nursing education in our nation, as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has said faculty shortages are limiting student capacity at colleges and universities while the demand for professional registered nurses continues to grow. In 2018-2019 alone, AACN estimates that more than 75,000 potential students were turned away nationwide due to an insufficient number of nursing faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors and budget constraints. Furthermore, an AACN survey of 872 nursing schools revealed a total of 1,715 faculty vacancies in baccalaureate of graduate programs and a need to create an additional 138 faculty positions to keep up with student demand.
“Carlow appreciates HRSA’s support in the form of this grant, and we look forward to continuing to produce excellent nurse educators, and, by extension, excellent nurses,” Ingel said.
If you are interested in becoming a nurse educator, follow the links for more information about one of these programs.