The ideal nursing faculty consists of qualified and experienced nurses committed to the nursing profession and dedicated to the advancement of the nursing profession. A combination of good qualifications, experiences and key competencies are required for every specialty in the nursing profession. The main competencies required for an Associate Nursing instruction personnel are
1) Demonstration of a good commitment to the nursing profession locally or internationally, through membership in nursing professional organizations, or publications in research journals.
2) Clinical expertise like a professional practice in their area of expertise or clinical instruction of students.
3) Commitment to continuous professional development. Since nursing is a rapidly changing profession, nurses must be committed to life long continuous learning for professional development through doctoral or postdoctoral work and Independent study.
Qualifications and the skills needed for associate nursing instruction personnel
1) A PhD degree in a major nursing science discipline
2) At least five years of practice as a registered nurse
3) A minimum of three years in the instruction of nursing students in the baccalaureate level
4) Active practicing license or eligibility to practice as a nurse
5) Ability to execute and plan a four-year bachelor of nursing program in nursing is essential 6) A through knowledge of the academic evaluation and accrediting processes in nursing
The job responsibilities for associate nursing instruction personnel are,
- Providing academic guidance and education to students
- Providing the nursing students with instructions and evaluating the progress of students.
- Preparation of syllabus and assisting in furthering the activities of the institution
5) Maintenance of high standard s and excellence in nursing education
6) Acting as a role model to students for students in the Nursing profession.
7) Maintaining productive and positive relationships with the hospitals, businesses, industries and agencies
8) Teaching 12 credit hours per semester
9) Scheduling some office hours per week for interaction with students
10) Planning and providing theoretical instruction and laboratory experiences that provide a good comprehension of the philosophy, curriculum and objectives of the nursing education programs.
Questions about professional qualification
1) Tell us about yourself
This question, the interviewees is supposed to describe is or her personality, educational achievements, the career and professional experiences in a summarized form
2) So tell us what you know about your line of specialty in nursing? This question is supposed to test the interviewee about his or her depth of understanding of his/her specialty in nursing
3) What evidence do you have to demonstrate that you are the best person for the position or you / satisfy the criteria that a person is looking for in this p for this position?
In this question, the interviewee should stress his academic credentials, work experiences, competencies, and the way they match with the needs of the position.
4) What are the three items one is likely to find in a surgery pre operation checklist?
This question can ascertain the knowledge of the nursing faculty in handling Patients
- Provide an efficient method you have used in your nursing instruction for supervising students clinical and laboratory work
This question can test the knowledge of the interviewee in giving instruction to students
- Share an experience where you used new training skills methods or ides to adapt to new situations to improve an ongoing one
- List two areas of your weakness that you wish to improve on
This question can be used to establish the major weaknesses in a potential employee.
High rates of faculty turnover are always costly to the reputation of an institution and the quality of academics. Retirement is the major cause of high faculty turnover as well as the structural properties and the organization characteristics of the faculty work. The efforts of retaining faculty for long periods are associated with greater job satisfaction and better productivity in work (Briscian, 2008).
Recruitment and retaining of talent is a challenge for every education instruction in the country. Compensation and employee benefits are the two professional reasons for employee quitting. Unequal or substandard wage structures like inequality in pay can cause dissatisfaction and cause employees to quit. Low retention rate of faculty result in financial and academic consequences on faculty (Briscian, 2008).
Monetary consequences are the loss on previous investments, monetary costs spent on new recruitments and loss of time before the hiring of new staff .Academic consequences include the disruption of research and teaching programs , loss of student advisors and the disruption in departmental Plans (Jennifer & Robert, 2005).
Professional developmental factors contribute to high employee retention like sabbatical leaves, assistance for external grants. Leave policies also ensure faculty enhance their personal and professional lives. Financial assistance policies and programs like childcare housing also enhance retention rates fort staff. Good orientation and transition programs also help employees to be acquainted with the resources in campus and increase the likelihood that the incoming faculty will be retained because they will have a better understanding of working process of the institution (Jennifer & Robert, 2005).
According to Jennifer & Robert, (2005), the following practices can help in improving faculty retention rates in colleges and universities
1) The provision of a working environment that is competitive and comparable with those of related professions in terms of its salary and benefits , workload (service, teaching and research) and opportunities for career development
2) Hiring staff who have the potential of attaining the goals assigned to them as well as ensuring the faculty understand their goals and the provision of an environment where they can achieve those goals.
3) Communication with faculty on an individual level with the departmental chairs and the deans and in exit interviewees to ensure there is identification of barriers to employee retention.
4) Supporting the career development strategies of pre tenure and new staff to address the extra attention
5) Supporting flexible work practices and policies that improve the experience of the faculty tenure clock extensions, dual career hires and good leave policies to retain staff
6) Enhancement of collegiality in the school
The promotion of a sense of community and togetherness should be promoted and developed in the nursing faculty to ensure there is respect and effective communication in the work endowment.
7 The development of well-conceived procedures and policies helping creating a conducive climate for faculty.
8) Colleges and the departments of the college should also develop a very comprehensive plan for the recognition of outstanding contributions by the faculty in research teaching and creative work.
9) The development of Cleary articulated plan for promotion to leadership positions of the Nursing faculty
References
Jennifer, M., & Robert C., (2005). Recruitment, retention and retirement in higher education
Building and managing the faculty of the future. Camberly: Edward Elgar Publishing
Briscian, M. (2008). Safe and Effective Faculty Recruitment Retention and Dismissal
Practices an ISM Handbook for Private schools. Wilmington: Author.
