Exploring the Professional Quality of Life and Career Intentions of Nurse Faculty: A Cross-Sectional Study

AIM: This study aimed to assess compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in nurse faculty and evaluate how they link with faculty retention. BACKGROUND: Ongoing shortages of nurses and nurse faculty in Mississippi underscore the need to identify effective strategies to retain current faculty and strengthen the pipeline. METHOD: An online cross-sectional survey using the Professional Quality of Life instrument was deployed. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using Stata 18. RESULTS: A total of 188 faculty participated in the study. Overall findings revealed low compassion satisfaction alongside moderate to high levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress, highlighting concerns for faculty well-being within the academic nursing workforce. CONCLUSION: Findings provide support for targeted institutional strategies to promote nurse faculty well-being and retention.