The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars Program: An opportunity for junior nurse faculty

Abstract

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars program provides promising junior faculty extramural funding, expert mentoring, and the training needed to be successful in the academic role. The Nurse Faculty Scholars program, which admitted its first cohort in 2008, is designed to address the nursing faculty shortage by enhancing leadership, educational, and research skills in junior nursing faculty. This article provides an overview of the program, its purpose, and its eligibility requirements. The authors give strategies for selecting mentors, developing the written application, and preparing for an oral interview. Finally, the authors provide an analysis of funded institutions, research design and methods from current and recently funded projects, and rank and positions held by nursing mentors.

Initial evaluation of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars program

“…Scholars were also successful in balancing the teaching role because all continued to teach at the graduate and/or undergraduate level, a requirement of the program (Coffman et al, 2013). Scholar engagement in service, a cornerstone of the nursing profession (Riley & Beal, 2010), was central to and a natural extension of scholar productivity at local, regional, and national levels.…”

“…Potential applicants are vetted through a vigorous process that includes evaluation of a written proposal; semifinalists are then engaged in structured face-to-face interviews with NAC members. The interview and selection process hones the development of efficient and effective proposal and presentation skills (Coffman et al, 2013). Although other funded programs build capacity among education, health policy, or research faculty (Franklin et al, 2011; Harrington et al, 2006; Maas, Conn, Buckwalter, Herr, & Tripp-Reimer, 2009; McBride, Fagin, Franklin, Huba, & Quach, 2006; Wyman, 2013), few included a face-to-face panel interview like that required of potential scholars.…”

“…Although other funded programs build capacity among education, health policy, or research faculty (Franklin et al, 2011; Harrington et al, 2006; Maas, Conn, Buckwalter, Herr, & Tripp-Reimer, 2009; McBride, Fagin, Franklin, Huba, & Quach, 2006; Wyman, 2013), few included a face-to-face panel interview like that required of potential scholars. After qualifying, scholars are awarded with 60% protected time and funding to launch a research project (Coffman et al, 2013). …”

“…He or she has a primary nursing mentor (a senior nurse scientist/leader) in his or her school of nursing, a senior non-nurse researcher outside the school (but within the applicant’s home institution), and a national nursing mentor. The RWJF NFS NAC serves to recommend possible national mentors; however, the RWJF NFS program home office makes the final decision based on the scholar’s goals in research, teaching, and service (Coffman, Goodman, Thomas, & Roberson, 2013; Conn, 2013). …”

“…The scholars are diverse in terms of their programs of research and scholarship; leadership and teaching experiences; academic nursing aspirations; research intensiveness; and demographic characteristics including geography of their institutions, gender, and race. Although there are two publications (Coffman et al, 2013; Conn, 2013) about the description and the promise of the RWJF NFS program as one of the initiatives fundamental to retaining junior faculty and shaping the future generations of academic nurse leaders in the country, there are no published reports about the evaluation of the program.…”