Montana

The nursing faculty shortage experienced at nursing colleges and universities throughout the country is not showing signs of rapid improvement in the near future. Increasing the shortage and complicating the problem is an expected wave of nursing instructors and faculty ready for retirement during the next five to ten years.

Throughout the years the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has conducted several surveys regarding the nursing faculty shortage in the United States. According to the 2010 released results of one study, the Special Survey on Vacant Faculty Positions, there were close to 900 nursing faculty job openings available at 556 nursing schools throughout the United States. In addition to faculty vacancies, nursing schools reported that 257 new teacher positions need to be created.

New faculty jobs are necessary in order to keep up with an increasing number of qualified applicants who instead of being turned away can be accepted into baccalaureate and master level nursing programs. The results of the 2010 study have shown a national nurse faculty vacancy rate of 6.9%, with the majority of unfilled positions being those that require a doctoral degree.