ACE Spotlight Article: Winter 2026

The First Clinical Nurse Educator Academy: Developing the Nursing Workforce for Quality, Accessible Clinical Learning Experiences

By Leanne Fowler, AACN ACE Leadership Fellow

Although challenges within the clinical nursing workforce are well recognized, the nursing faculty workforce faces distinct challenges that merit comparable attention due to their shared impact on healthcare and education... Meanwhile faculty retirement, higher compensation provided in clinical practice sector, and low production of nurse educators from graduate nursing programs significantly threaten the nursing faculty workforce. Consequently, academic nursing programs turn away students and faculty absorb the burdens of faculty vacancies (AACN, 2025). As the largest health profession in the nation, all nursing roles are vital in quality health care delivery and academic programs are necessary in sustaining a healthy pipeline of nurses in all roles. Additionally, clinical experts are highly educated as clinicians but lack formal education as educators. Developing a clinical nurse educator workforce is one solution to sustain quality nursing education within clinical environments. A person in that role can significantly support academic nursing programs in their development of clinical faculty and preceptors - to facilitate accessible learning to diverse student groups. Clinical nurse educators function as clinical nursing faculty within all clinical learning environments (e.g. simulation lab, skills lab, or clinical agencies) or as preceptors within healthcare agencies. The Clinical Nurse Educator Academy was nationally recognized with the distinguished Peg E. Daw NLN Certification Star Award (2025) as an innovative model for preparing the next generation of clinical nurse educators.

The Clinical Nurse Educator Academy is an asynchronous professional development program designed to increase the nursing workforce with clinical nurse educators across the Health and Human Services (HHS) region 6 and expand academic practice partnerships within rural and underserved areas. Sponsored by the Louisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew Orleans School of Nursing, the program is supported by a $2,697,466 award secured from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention Clinical Faculty Preceptor Academy (NEPQR-CFPA) project. At no cost to them, participants earn 9.75 to 15 nursing continuing professional development credits, incentive and retention stipends, preparation for the Certified Nurse Educator-clinical exam offered by the National League for Nursing (NLN), and matching [as needed] to Schools of Nursing in need of clinical faculty and/or preceptors for Registered Nurse (RN) and Advanced Practice RN (APRN) learners.

Curriculum

A backward design approach was used to design a competency-based educational program focused on progressive achievement of competence. Nationally recognized competencies and standards for nursing education and practice were integrated into the curriculum (see Box 1). Participants progressively complete four core modules and select at least one role-focused module to complete the program (See Figure 1). The final role-focused module requires participants to choose the type of learner they predominantly teach – RN learners, Nurse Practitioner (NP) learners, or Nurse Midwifery (NM) learners. A module for Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and Nurse Anesthesia (NA) learners is in development. Participants are evaluated using pre-/post-tests to measure knowledge gained and a behavioral assessment grounded in the NLN Clinical Nurse Educator competencies and informed by behaviors adapted from Benner’s Novice to Expert model.

Curriculum topics build from fundamental clinical educator knowledge to modeling systems-level thinking. For example, Module 1 includes topics related to understanding and differentiating the roles of an academic educator, clinical educator, the learner, the academic program, the School, and the clinical agency. Understanding these different roles highlights the significance of maintaining academic-practice relationships among all parties to provide quality clinical learning experiences. Additionally, legal and ethical considerations for clinical learning, the significance of accreditation and regulation of education and practice are also included as fundamental knowledge. Module 2 topics focus on the facilitation of learning including using learning theories, teaching and learning strategies for clinical learning, coaching strategies for student success, and how to socialize the learner into professional clinical practice. The topics in modules 3 and 4 are focused on student assessment, providing feedback, role modeling communication, professionalism, interprofessional collaboration and systems-level thinking.

Finally, the role specific module requires participants to apply all the competencies learned in Modules 1 through 4 to their current professional role. Role-specific topics include scope of practice considerations, clinical documentation standards and evaluation of student documentation, role modeling problem-solving skills, and connecting clinical learning experiences to course and end-of-program learning outcomes.

Outcomes

The Clinical Nurse Educator Academy project is in the 4th year of the grant-funded program. The professional development program launched in Year 2 and has over 1700 registrants. A total of 809 participants have completed the program reporting a 16% average increase in knowledge (Pre-test score average 67.47, post-test average score 80.39) and 18.63% increase in competence as a Clinical Nurse Educator on a 5-point scale (Novice is 1, Expert is 5). Final statistical analysis to evaluate the program’s impact is in progress. Project staff created 17 new academic practice partnerships with schools and practice organizations to recruit participants and match them with opportunities to serve as clinical faculty or preceptor. Overall, partners and participants have anecdotally reported high satisfaction with the program. School of Nursing partners report using the program as a tool to support new clinical faculty transition into academia and as an incentivized resource for preceptors.

Conclusion

The demand for meaningful professional development as a clinical nurse educator is high. The Clinical Nurse Educator Academy provides clinical experts with a program to develop them in the role of an academic clinical nurse educator. Future research of its impact and validity of assessment tools are needed. The benefit of providing stackable credentials for workforce development as clinical educators should also be explored.

Acknowledgements

Benita Chatmon, C. Shannon Pfingstag, Clair Millet, Demetrice Smith, Kendra Barrier, LaKeshia SantaMarina, Emilie Gauthier, and all partners for supporting the development and implementation of this project.

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Corresponding Author

Leanne H. Fowler, DNP, MBA, APRN, AGACNP-BC, CNE, FAANP, FAAN
Program Director, Nurse Practitioner Programs
Program Coordinator, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration
Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing
LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing
Email: lfowle@lsuhsc.edu