Finally a full time job offer!!!

[nursebrandie28, BSN, RN]

:balloons: well, after 2 years of working part-time, i finally was offered a full time job! however, this job i think is more than i bargained for....

catch #1: technically there is no nursing program, the program is awaiting final approval from missouri state board of nursing (program is supposed to start in jan 08)

bonus #1: they have a beautiful building for nursing, a brand new skills lab/nursing station, wonderful classrooms, nice area, close to home

catch #2: the college has had a nursing program in the past and since board scores were so low, state shut them down. the college now is getting all new faculty who can get approval from state and make nursing program work

bonus #2: this fall, in preparation for spring students, i would get to help write the curriculum, pick out class times/schedules and have an overall decision making process in the program.

so basically, if i accepted the offer, i would feel that i would make a difference, however, the whole thought just makes it overwhelming. the school wants to start with a lpn program first, get that going, then expand to a 2 year rn program.

any comments, suggestions, questions!!!?:balloons:

[llg, PhD, RN]

Here are some of the questions I would be asking:

1. Who is running this program? Are they the same administrators who failed in their attempts to run the nursing program before? (Obviously, if it's the same people at the top, there is a high likelihood that they will not run a high quality program now.)

2. Why did the previous program do so badly? Have those problems truly been solved? (See #1 above.)

3. How much experience do you have with the types of big decisions that will need to be made as a new program gets established? (Will you be one of the "blind trying to lead the blind?)

4. How prepared are you to teach a wide variety of courses? Most new programs start out small -- and a small number of faculty members have to cover all the classes and specialty areas. How broad is your expertise? Students deserve highly qualified faculty. Please don't add to our profession's problems by teaching courses you are not qualified to teach. Schools struggling to find faculty sometimes hire people who are not fully qualified just to keep the program running. Be honest with yourself about your qualifications and whether you are truly the right person for the job -- or were you offered the position because the school was desperate. As I know nothing of your qualifications, I don't mean to insult you. But in fairness to the students and to the profession, please assess your qualifications honestly.

5. After investigating and thinking about the above issues thoroughly ... Will the program be one that you would want to attend yourself? ... or recommend to your daughter? (if you had one) If the answer is yes and you are satisfied with the all the issues raised above, then the job is one you should seriously consider. However, if it's a program whose quality is one you would question and would not want you daughter to attend, then there is that final ethical question you need to address before you accept the job.

Good luck. Happy thinking!

[nursebrandie28, BSN, RN]

Thank you for your response. I currently teach LPN's in a small area which is filled with poverty. I was not familiar with everything they had ask me to teach, so I call the hospitals in the area and asked if they let shadow and observe until I get into the swing of things.

Yes, the upper management is the same, as far as the owner. However, they have a new director of nursing who has been in nursing/education for over 30 years. The rest of the faculty will be new. I honestly feel that I can bring a lot to the table as far a enthusiasm and I am going to try very hard to be good at teaching.

No, I am still at a novice level of teaching, but it has been experience, that I try harder that some tenure faculty who don't care as much as they should.

But anyway, thank you for your input.