Assistant or Associate Professor, Undergraduate Nursing and Director, Pathway to Practice (Non-Tenure Track)

Department:

231100 - Nursing Undergraduate

Appointment Term

Non-Tenure Track

Position Summary

La Salle University invites applications for a Director of the Pathway to Practice Program who will serve as a full-time, benefits-eligible, non-tenure-track faculty member at a rank of Assistant or Associate. This position is dedicated to advancing student success and licensure readiness through an intentionally designed, outcomes-driven model and was developed in response to outcome data highlighting the need for early intervention, longitudinal academic support, and stronger integration of didactic and clinical learning.

The Director will provide proactive, structured academic coaching beginning in the sophomore year and continuing throughout the nursing program, with a focus on clinical judgment development, NCLEX-RN readiness, and successful transition to professional nursing practice.

This is a 9-month faculty appointment accompanied by a 12-month secondary administrative appointment as Director. The faculty and Director roles are interdependent and must be held concurrently; continuation in each role is contingent upon service in the other.

*Rank (Assistant or Associate) will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.*

Essential Duties

Student Success and Academic Coaching

• Provide early, longitudinal academic support to pre-licensure nursing students beginning in the sophomore year.
• Coach students in effective study strategies that emphasize application, synthesis, and clinical judgment rather than rote memorization.
• Support development of NCLEX-RN-aligned test-taking strategies and clinical reasoning skills.
• Guide students in making meaningful connections between classroom instruction, clinical experiences, and professional nursing practice.
• Utilize student performance data and assessment outcomes to identify students in need of additional support and develop individualized academic success plans.

Licensure Readiness and NCLEX-RN Outreach

• Lead a structured NCLEX-RN outreach initiative beginning with the 2026 graduating class to support timely and successful licensure testing.
• Strongly encourage graduating students, prior to program completion, to schedule the NCLEX-RN examination within six to eight weeks of graduation, consistent with evidence-based best practices for knowledge retention and test readiness.
• Develop and implement a structured post-graduation NCLEX-RN preparation plan that includes guided review resources, study timelines, and faculty-supported strategies to strengthen clinical judgment and test-taking skills.
• Provide proactive guidance to graduates who anticipate delaying their initial NCLEX-RN attempt, including individualized preparation plans and coaching prior to testing.
• Coordinate targeted outreach to graduates who are not successful on their first NCLEX-RN attempt and offer individualized personal learning plans, academic coaching, and structured study support prior to re-testing.
• Use licensure outcome data to continuously refine outreach strategies and improve first-time and subsequent NCLEX-RN pass rates.

Faculty Development and Collaboration

• Lead and coordinate a faculty development initiative to establish a cohort of five faculty members trained to partner with the Director in supporting student success.
• Facilitate targeted professional development focused on:
  • Clinical judgment pedagogy
  • NCLEX-style assessment design
  • Academic coaching and advising strategies
  • Use of Elsevier Performance Learning Plans
  • Interpretation and application of student performance and progression data
• Organize and lead workshops, collaborative review of course and assessment data, shared advising strategies, and calibration of expectations across didactic and clinical courses.
• Serve as a resource to faculty regarding evidence-based teaching practices and student success interventions.

Programmatic and Team-Based Leadership

• Function as a core member of a coordinated student success team in collaboration with trained faculty partners.
• Ensure consistent messaging to students regarding academic expectations, progression standards, licensure readiness, and professional accountability.
• Contribute to continuous quality improvement efforts focused on teaching effectiveness, student learning, progression, and licensure outcomes.
• Participate in program evaluation, reporting, and accreditation-related initiatives as appropriate.

Teaching

• Teach in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) day and BSN achieve programs.

Secondary Responsibilities

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in nursing from an accredited institution.
• Current registered nurse (RN) license in Pennsylvania or multistate license.
• Experience in nursing education, academic coaching, student advising, and/or curriculum support.
• Demonstrated knowledge of NCLEX-RN frameworks, clinical judgment models, and evidence-based instructional strategies.
• Experience using student performance data to inform academic interventions.
• Knowledge of and commitment to the mission of La Salle University.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Elsevier products, including Performance Learning Plans.
• Faculty development or leadership experience in higher education.
• Familiarity with accreditation standards and outcomes assessment in nursing education.

Physical Requirements and/or Unusual Work Hours

• The Chair is required to be available on a 12-month basis.
• Some evening and weekend work may be required at times.
• Some local travel may be required.

Special Instructions to Applicant

As part of the application you will be required to submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and to submit contact information for three references.

La Salle University is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and respectful environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek candidates who will contribute to a positive, inclusive, and supportive community, and who are committed to working collaboratively with students, fostering critical thinking, supporting their success, and helping them realize their full potential.

La Salle University offers its eligible employees comprehensive medical and dental plans, employer paid life and disability insurance, retirement benefits, generous paid time off (vacation, sick leave, and holidays), and tuition benefits such as no cost undergraduate and graduate degree programs for its employees (with no wait period) and no cost undergraduate degree programs for its employees' dependents (after completing the required years of service).

Application Open Date: 03/27/2026

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