WILLIAMSPORT — Pennsylvania College of Technology is admitting students to its new post-master’s certificate in nursing education for the summer 2024 term.
“This program is an effort by Penn College to help increase the available nurse educators and do our part in working toward reducing the nursing shortage,” explained Kelly T. Bidlespacher, director of nursing: bachelor’s and graduate degrees.
The post-master’s certificate is available to registered nurses who hold a Master of Science in nursing in another specialty. It prepares those nurses who have a passion for education and mentoring to teach in academia or staff-development roles.
Students will learn educational theory, assessment and evaluation techniques, and curriculum development.
Designed for working professional nurses, coursework for the 15-credit post-master’s certificate will be delivered online. Classes will be six to 15 weeks in length, allowing students to take two three-credit courses each semester (summer, fall and spring) and complete the certificate in 12 months. Students will be required to complete two hands-on practicum courses with industry partners, allowing them to apply the content learned. No on-campus visits are required.
There is a nurse shortage across the nation, due partly to baby boomers retiring from nursing, but due also to a shortage of nursing faculty, which affects the number of students who can be accepted into nursing programs.
A Special Survey on Vacant Faculty Positions released by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in February 2022 found that nursing schools across the nation reported an overall 8% increase in full-time faculty position vacancies. The association also found that master’s degree nursing programs reported they are not producing enough potential nurse educators to meet the high demand because they cannot accept all applicants due to the faculty shortage.