Sam Houston State University has developed an innovative solution to tackle the critical nursing faculty shortage and its impact on Texas’ healthcare workforce. The Shared Nurse Academic Practice Partnership Initiative (SNAPPI) is transforming the way healthcare systems and nursing schools collaborate, providing a scalable model that could reshape nursing education across the state and beyond.
Texas is facing an unprecedented shortfall of 47,000 registered nurses, the second-largest nursing shortage in the nation. The shortage is further compounded by a lack of qualified nursing faculty, making it difficult to expand nursing education programs. SNAPPI addresses these challenges by seamlessly integrating experienced bedside nurses into clinical faculty roles without disrupting their existing practice positions.
Through SNAPPI, SHSU and its healthcare partners are working to eliminate traditional barriers, including compensation disparities between clinical and academic roles, integrating teaching responsibilities into full-time clinical practice positions and streamlining scheduling and administrative duties. This innovative approach is designed to empower experienced nurses to become educators while maintaining their commitment to patient care.
