The role of co-teaching in strengthening nursing education amidst a global shortage

The global shortage of nurses is compounded by a concurrent deficit of qualified nurse educators, limiting the capacity of academic programs to prepare future nurses. While not a direct solution to faculty shortages, co-teaching offers a structured and supportive strategy for easing the transition of experienced clinicians into academic roles. This article explores the use of co-teaching in nursing education as a professional development and mentoring framework that can enhance teaching quality and support novice educators. Co-teaching involves two or more educators collaboratively planning, delivering, and assessing instruction, with applications across a variety of learning settings. This article examines five established models of co-teaching: One Teach, One Assist, Station Teaching, Parallel Teaching, Alternative Teaching, and Team Teaching. It discusses how these models can foster instructional confidence, build mentoring relationships, and improve student engagement. Practical considerations for implementation include structured planning, clear role definitions, faculty development opportunities, and administrative support. Common barriers, such as workload imbalances, inconsistent assessment practices, and logistical limitations, are also addressed. Co-teaching is presented as a promising tool to strengthen faculty capacity, enhance onboarding of novice educators, and support sustainable workforce development in nursing education.