Cuyahoga County Healthcare Sector Partnership, Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals Launch Initiative to Train More Nurse Educators

CLEVELAND -- The Cuyahoga County Healthcare Sector Partnership, in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, is launching the Nursing Clinical Adjunct Faculty Initiative — an innovative program aimed at expanding the region’s nursing education capacity and addressing the national nursing educator shortage.

Funded by Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, the initiative will draw from the health systems’ experienced clinical nursing staff to identify and train individuals to serve as adjunct faculty. Participants will attend intensive clinical faculty boot camps, beginning in summer 2025, to prepare for teaching roles that support hands-on clinical training for nursing students.

“We are addressing a critical barrier to expanding the nursing workforce: the shortage of qualified clinical faculty. By utilizing the exceptional talent already present in our hospitals and schools, this initiative creates a connection between education and practice,” said Corbyn Martz, Director of the Healthcare Sector Partnership, New Bridge Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Workforce Connect. “It serves as a strong example of what can be achieved when health systems, educators, and workforce partners collaborate to develop sustainable, long-term solutions.”

Efforts to develop the initiative began in 2024 as a collaborative response to clinical faculty shortages in nursing education. The Healthcare Sector Partnership, Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals teamed up to engage 16 regional schools of nursing, creating the foundation for the program.

“This initiative is bringing everyone to the table to build a sustainable solution to a national challenge,” said Lisa Baszynski, DNP, RN, NE-BC, Executive Director, Associate Chief Nursing Officer, Nursing Education and Professional Development at Cleveland Clinic. “It’s not just about filling roles — it’s about transforming how we prepare the next generation of nurses.”

While the current focus is on increasing the number of nurse educators, this marks the first phase of a long-term strategy to strengthen the healthcare workforce, especially for other hard-to-fill roles, using solutions that can be sustained in years to come.

“This collaboration with practice and academic partners aims not only to increase the number of available nursing clinical adjunct faculty, but also to enhance the quality of education delivered,” said Holly Ma, DNP, MS, RN, NPD-BC, Marian Shaughnessy Endowed Vice President of Nursing Professional Development, Practice and Research at University Hospitals.

Key goals of the initiative include:

• Expanding nursing school capacity by increasing the number of qualified clinical faculty.
• Reducing student waitlists and enabling increased enrollment in nursing programs.
• Expanding clinical rotation capacity at Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.
• Addressing burnout by distributing faculty responsibilities across a larger pool of educators.

Upcoming Boot Camp Dates:

• Tuesday, June 24, 2025 – Cleveland Clinic Independence Family Health Center
• Tuesday, July 22, 2025 – University Hospitals Management Services Center (Shaker Heights)
• Wednesday, August 6, 2025 – Cleveland Clinic Independence Family Health Center

The Healthcare Sector Partnership is a collaboration among hospitals in Cuyahoga County. It works with partners in workforce development and education to address both short- and long-term talent needs. In addition to Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, the partnership includes MetroHealth and Southwest General and is coordinated by New Bridge Cleveland and New Growth Group.

To learn more about the Nursing Clinical Adjunct Faculty Initiative, including eligibility and registration, visit https://cchsp.org/initiatives/nursing-clinical-adjunct-faculty/.