Investing in the people who advance nursing education

As colleges of nursing prepare to welcome new and returning students and begin another academic year, it’s also an important time to consider the professional growth of the faculty and staff who make that work possible. Many may be ready to advance their careers, develop new expertise, participate in research, assume leadership roles or strengthen their ability to educate the next generation of health care professionals. As deans, we have an opportunity — and a responsibility — to encourage those ambitions.

Nurses and nursing educators are accustomed to investing their time and energy in others, yet they may hesitate to prioritize their own professional development, particularly when balancing teaching, service, clinical responsibilities and personal commitments. Institutional encouragement can make a meaningful difference. When leaders actively support advanced education, employees are more likely to view continued learning as both attainable and valued.

Today’s accelerated, hybrid and online degree pathways make graduate education more accessible for working professionals. Faculty and staff also enter advanced-degree programs with substantial professional and life experience, allowing them to connect coursework to real workplace challenges. Their education can immediately benefit the college through stronger teaching, expanded research capacity, innovative program development and more effective leadership. 

Deans can help create a culture that supports this growth in several practical ways:

• Encourage employees to explore programs that align with their career goals and the college’s future workforce needs.
• Promote online, flexible and self-paced options that allow employees to continue working while completing their education.
• Make tuition assistance, scholarships and employee education benefits easy to understand and access.
• Consider flexible scheduling, mentoring and workload planning for employees pursuing advanced degrees.

By creating a culture in which continued learning is encouraged, supported and celebrated, nursing deans can help employees expand their potential while strengthening the colleges and communities they serve. Consider your support an investment in both your team and the future of nursing.