Faculty Formation: Philosophical Perspectives, Issues, and Considerations

With a looming nurse faculty shortage, it is imperative that schools of nursing develop and maintain the nurse educator workforce to meet the demands of today’s complex healthcare system. One component needed for workforce preparation is structure regarding formation of the faculty role. This article first defines faculty formation and why faculty formation is a relevant philosophical issue within nursing education. Next, we discuss current issues in faculty formation including: educational training; the orientation process; mentorship and role modeling; communities of practice; and faculty workload. We offer brief exemplars to illustrate current concerns with formation that faculty experience during role transition and recommend considerations for nurse leaders to support faculty formation.