The federal government estimates that more than 193,000 nurses will be needed to enter the job market through 2032 to keep up with growing demands on the healthcare system. But who will educate the nurses of tomorrow?

Wilmington University’s RN to BSN and MSN in Nursing Leadership Program Chair Dr. Lisa Drews and colleagues published “Addressing the Nursing Faculty Shortage” in the Delaware Nurses Association Reporter. The authors reported that more than one-third of nursing educators are 60 or older, with many planning to retire. More than 65,000 qualified applicants were turned away from nursing programs in 2023 because of faculty shortages.

In the article, Dr. Drews and her coauthors noted efforts in Delaware to address the shortage. WilmU is enhancing practice readiness for nursing educators by integrating the National League for Nursing Core Competencies into its MSN Nursing Leadership program.

In addition, WilmU’s collaboration with practitioners is fueling a professional development concentration to support nurse educators who work within health care systems. WilmU also offers a Nurse Educator option in its Nurse Leadership Graduate Certificate.

In addition to robust education, Dr. Drews and her coauthors suggested financial incentives for nurses to enter academia and streamlined pathways from patient care to the classroom.