Methodist Healthcare “Lends” Master’s Prepared Nurses To Fill Nursing School Faculty Vacancies

The nursing shortage is a complicated picture, but Methodist Healthcare nursing professionals stepped forward to bring the picture into focus.

First there was a shortage of nursing students. Couple that with a lack of funding for nursing faculty salaries. A combination of time, money and expertise in nursing education would be required to solve the shortages.

The Resource Task Force, developed as the result of a city-wide Health Care Summit, raised some money to support faculty salaries. Methodist Healthcare gave a $100,000 grant, and Methodist Healthcare Ministries underwrote the fund with an infusion of $1.2 million, through support of the Greater San Antonio Hospital Association.

Others stepped forward with financial support, as well. Still, when local schools of nursing began receiving increased applications, they lacked qualified professionals to fill those faculty slots.

Methodist Healthcare stepped up to the plate, identifying staff nurses who were master’s prepared in nursing and were interested in teaching.

When the need really became acute - a clinical nursing supervisor became ill - her Methodist Healthcare colleagues stepped forward to staff her teaching obligations by the next day!

Coming aboard as adjunct faculty at the University of Texas Health Science Center - San Antonio School of Nursing that first semester were these Methodist Healthcare nurse educators: Jan Jenkins, MSN, RN, clinical nurse specialist; Pat Cornett, MSN, EdD, RN, Methodist Healthcare, vice president for education; Laurie Nix, MSN, RN, MICU staff nurse; Jane Nellis, MSN, RN, oncology staff nurse and Geralyn Soliz, MSN, RN, IMIS staff nurse. Other nurse instructors came from University Health System and the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital.

For the spring term in 2003, UTHSC-SA School of Nursing was able to enroll 40 additional students thanks to Methodist Healthcare supplementing their faculty, both in supplying teaching expertise and paying the salaries for those adjunct professors.

Methodist Healthcare-supplied faculty members continue to teach the cohort groups of students, the first of which will graduate at the end of this year. Ed Russell, Education, the only member of the group who had previous experience in teaching baccaulareate students, was joined by Arleen Aliano, Chrys Longoria, Sandra Russell, Janet Mirza, Sharon Dumenil, Susan Carlson, Valerie Thompson and Gloria Moore in guiding groups of eight students through their clinical rotations in Medical/Surgical Foundations, Psychology/Mental Health, Chronic Illness, Obstetrics, Pediatrics and the Professional Nurse as Leader/Manager. All are now credentialed as affiliate faculty at UTHSC-SA. All Methodist Healthcare acute care hospitals are involved as sites for one or more of the clinical rotation specialty nursing areas.

Methodist Healthcare has provided similar support at San Antonio College, and through a partnership with Alamo Community College District, has trained a number of RNs and LVNs who were formerly employed by Levi Strauss Company and Sony.

Marilyn K. Potts, APR Marketing and Public Relations Specialist Methodist Healthcare

8109 Fredericksburg Rd. - San Antonio, TX 78229

Phone (210) 575-0170 - Fax: (210) 575-0174