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Grant-funded Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academy educates nurse faculty
School of Nursing - Strategic Priority: Start a nursing school that becomes a nationally recognized leader in rapid workforce development and preceptor training
In 2022, Geisinger received a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant to grow its nursing preceptor and clinical instructor workforce by establishing a Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academy (CFPA).
Two components are associated with the CFPA:
• The first part is an educational training component that includes multiple modules of education with a certificate from Geisinger School of Nursing, along with continuing education credits.
• The second part is resources and updates for reference, including future updates to training based on current trends. The new skills, techniques and knowledge gained from this program will allow clinical faculty and/or preceptors to provide elevated educational experiences that enhance nursing education.
According to Rebecca Stoudt, DNP, PhD, CRNA, Geisinger College of Health Sciences associate dean of nursing student education, the HRSA grant helped “develop online, self-directed learning modules that can be used by nurses interested in taking on an additional educational role as a preceptor or clinical instructor.”
She added, “These modules address traditional concerns of nurse education, but also include more timely content, such as diversity, equity and inclusion and social determinants of health. Our goal was to make it easy for nurses to adopt teaching roles in addition to their responsibilities at the bedside and to incentivize them to do so. As such, until the grant runs out in 2026, it also funds a financial incentive program for Geisinger nurses (LPN and RN) who take on the roles of preceptors and clinical faculty.”
The program is intended to encourage nurses to work as preceptors and clinical faculty for nursing students The CFPA will fill the existing clinical faculty gap and strengthen undergraduate nursing education. It supports professional growth and development of staff, educators, clinical faculty and preceptors, which will in turn improve the severe nursing shortage that has worsened since the pandemic.
