Frequently Asked Questions About Faculty Practice in the College of Nursing

Frequently Asked Questions About Faculty Practice in the College of Nursing

Frequently Asked Questions about Faculty Practice in the College of Nursing

1) What is faculty practice?

  1. Faculty practice is defined as the provision of professional nursing/clinical services that contribute to the promotion, maintenance, and rehabilitation of health in individuals, families, communities, and organizations.
  2. Faculty practice encompasses multiple roles and may include, but is not limited to, direct and indirect provision of nursing/clinical services, research, education, consultation, and administration.

2)What is the purpose of the faculty practice group?

  1. To further the service, education, and research missions of the Georgia Regents University ("GRU"), a component of the University System of Georgia governed by the Board of Regents;
  2. To enable faculty to maintain clinical competence, fulfill certification requirements, and share expertise with other health care providers;
  3. To provide additional revenue streams for the College of Nursing and salary supplementation for the faculty members.

3)What is the nursing faculty practice group (GRNA) and who are its members?

  1. GRNA is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit organization that is a cooperative organization with the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
  2. All full-time GRU CON faculty members are automatically members of the nursing faculty practice group. Part-time faculty may request to join the practice group.

4)How does faculty practice work?

  1. GRNA collaborates with faculty and Department Chairs to negotiate contracts for services with outside practice sites.
  2. Faculty typically practice one day a week, but may make alternative schedules as appropriate for the contract and as agreed upon by their Chair.

5)What are the benefits of faculty practice?

  1. Salary Supplement – The CON recognizes the benefits of faculty members keeping their professional skills and knowledge current, and will, as a general rule, give faculty members a 20% workload effort allocation to engage in faculty practice. In other words, faculty members receive their normal salary for up to one day a week while they are engaged in faculty practice outside of the CON. In addition, faculty members receive a portion of the revenue generated by their contract for services with the practice site (currently 45% of the amount billed for services).
  2. Maintaining clinical hours –Faculty practice permits faculty members to obtain the clinical practice hours they may need to maintain advanced practice certifications and licensures.
  3. Staying up-to-date – Faculty practice helpsfaculty members keep their skills and knowledge up-to-datewith the latest advancements in nursing.
  4. The Joy of Patient Care – Many faculty members went into nursing because they love the interaction with patients. Faculty practice enables them to be engaged with patients as part of their regular routine.

6)How are faculty members paid for faculty practice?

  1. At the end of each quarter the faculty member’s share of revenue generated from their practice contract is included in their regular paycheck.
    Example:a faculty member enters a practice contract and provides services at a local clinic in January, February, and March. Each month GRNA bills the clinic $2,000 for the faculty member’s services for a total of $6,000 that quarter. In April 45% of the total billings, or $2,700, isadded to the gross pay (pre-tax dollars) of the faculty member’s regular April paycheck from the University

7)What happens to the dollars earned in faculty practice contracts?

  1. 45% is paid as supplemental income to the faculty member.
  2. 9% goes to the Dean’s account to support activities in the CON.
  3. 9% goes to faculty member’s Department Chair account and is used to support department activities such as supplementing travel budgets, providing food for meetings, faculty recognitions, etc.
  4. 37% is used to support the operations of the faculty practice group.

8)What else does the practice group do?

  1. GRNA seeks out potential sites that would permit clinical education for students, practice opportunities for faculty, and income generation to support the CON. It is a part of the effort to move the CON from state support to enterprise and entrepreneurship.
  2. GRNA operates an employer-based health and wellness clinic for the workforce of a large company based in the CSRA.
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