How is your school of nursing faring in these rough economic times?

iteachob, MSN, RN · Jan 9, 2009

I teach in an ADN program at a 4 year college (total undergrad enrollment ~800-900). Last January we accepted our first "winter" class of students; previously we only accepted an incoming class in the fall. We were doubling the size of our program to help meet the needs of the region. In October '08, 60 staff members (secretaries, housekeeping, admissions assistants, some athletic staff) were laid off at our college. We were also informed that 15 faculty (new ones, on 1 year contracts) would not have their contracts renewed. This includes 3 nursing faculty who were hired with the expansion of the program, although they will remain until Dec '09, when the "winter" class graduates. We did not accept a winter class this semester. Luckily for me, I'm one of the senior faculty and not in danger at this time, but it just kills me that after looking SO HARD for new faculty we are now letting them go....we are in a rural county with few (maybe 20-25) MSN prepared nurses. In fact, in our county there is only one with a PhD...my boss.

Also: An announcement was just made this week that the college is closing 1 residence hall.

nursebrandie28, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2009

Well over in Illlinois or CORRUPT govoner has cut yet more money from the education so we are on a hiring freeze and all working in overload!! No new supplies, no Christmas bonus

Brandie

valmor1984 · Jan 10, 2009

We still have an abundance of applicants, and I suppose you could say the situation has improved, as we are now turning away "only" (sadly) 50% of the applicant pool. Four years ago, we could only take 1 in 4 applicants. Three years ago, our Chancellor asked the School of Nursing to increase each class size by 20%. It strained the system, but we made have it work.

In early fall 2008, administration asked us to add an additional 20% to the size of each class, with no increase in lab space, faculty, or infrastructure. Our governor has just announced that all educators (primary through postsecondary) will receive no pay raise for the foreseeable future.

I have a feeling that the "request" will now receive a chilly response from faculty. We had already taken on more work,for less job satisfaction (try teaching 50 students in a lab built for 25), for no more money. Now, they would like us to take on even more work, for even less fun, for no more money.

We have faculty positions that have gone unfilled for two years and counting. We can't compete with hospitals, and this budget freeze will only make that worse.

No wonder the faculty shortage (both present and future) is being called "catastrophic".

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jan 10, 2009

These reports are very sobering. We just received word that our main clinical partner - our large regional teaching hospital - will only accept 63% of the nursing student extern positions that it offered last summer (50 as opposed to 80+).

marachne · Jan 10, 2009

My institution is not a full service university, but rather a health and science campus -- we have 2 hospitals, multiple clinics, a SON, SOM, SOD and Allied Health programs, as well as several research centers. The SON encompasses 5 campuses (it swallowed other state nursing programs at other state universities many years ago). We started getting hit w/crunches a few years ago when the state cut back their support. Then last year we were hit with the lifting of the Tort cap, making the institution's insurance go up by 30 million dollars. We've had huge tuition increases, cut back on support staff, and now a hiring freeze, which is concerning because we have lost a number of senior faculty recently, and at this time we can't hire new faculty to replace them. One of the crown jewels of the SON was an NP-run clinic in a rural part of the state. I know one of the planned cost-cutting measures was to close some rural clinics (stupid, I know), and I believe that clinic (which was the main health care resource of the area) was closed.

I also worry about the current undergraduate students at the main campus. We have 5 BS and 4 AD programs in the area, and the job market has been tight for a while for new grads. I think this economy means that people who have left the field will come back, and grads will find it very challenging to get a job for the next few years.

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 10, 2009

I am an adjunct who just teaches one course per semester. But I am on the mailing list: so, I hear the news. There will be no raises in 2009 and people are not being replaced as they leave. They are VERY actively looking for things to cut and I expect there will be a steady stream of cuts announced.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jan 24, 2009

Just received word that faculty will not be receiving any raises this year. Also, no money for supplies - even paper for the copiers is being rationed. $15 million dollars in state funds are being slashed from our university, due to a severe state budget shortfall in collected revenues. Also, any vacant faculty positions due to attrition, etc., will not be filled. Remaining faculty will each take on new responsibilities to fill in the gaps. Have to admit that administrators at my college of nursing seem very alarmed. They say these budget trimming matters are just the beginning. Looks like a very rough road ahead...

dorimar, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2009

I am not yet teaching. However, the state of Arizona just announced 40% financial cuts to the higher education system!!!!

sunnysideup09 · Jan 26, 2009

Our problem is that we can't find adjuncts to teach clinical. They all want to teach theory and I'm not sure they not what goes into prepping for a lecture course.

We increased our admissions from 120 a year to 240 a year. Yikes! We have the money, but can't find those willing to teach clinical, so the FT faculty are picking up extra for overload. It's nice money..for example, I have an overload contract for checkoffs in skills 2 hours more a week. But, it will get old quickly.

kubivern · Feb 5, 2009

Although our program is much smaller than several of those listed, we are also facing a crunch - 12.5% reduction this year, with an additional 3-7% next year. All unfilled positions have been eliminated (we have 5 total instructor positions, but have been unable to fill two now for over a year, so those two have been cut). Administration just says that more may follow.

The extra work, the extra hours, the extra headaches, the no pay raises, and no travel of course isn't the worst of it - that is typical of many jobs - it is the frustration that permeates the atmosphere. Who would have ever guessed that anyone dedicated enough (or crazy enough) to take the pay cuts and the difficulties to become a nursing educator would have to worry about lay-offs?

ElliShay · Feb 5, 2009

vkubiak-- your school sounds like mine. We admit 40 students per year and have just been told we are going to have to cut 10% from our budget--yet we are under pressure to grow and admit more students. We are actively trying to hire new faculty, but are currently 3 faculty short. We are scrambling to cover the load--and NO ONE is crazy enough to do what we do for the money we earn. I am in my 6th year--and it is every bit as hard as the first year was--the pressure never lets up. I think we are crazy to keep spreading ourselves ever more thinly, because we are simply proving we can do more and more with less. However, we will do exactly that--because of the students. There has been some talk about giving the nursing faculty a raise to bring us up to market and attract qualified faculty--but that has yet to happen. If by some miracle we do get raises, the rest of the faculty on campus won't--so that will add more stress to the job. I am, for the first time in years, beginning to look at other career options. The crazy thing is, our state has money--and the governor just allocated 150 million for K-12, but directed the community colleges to cut 10%... we are living in an interesting time... what else can you do but hang on?