Nursing Faculty Onboarding Process
To support consistency, connection, and excellence in nursing education, Donnelly College provides a structured onboarding process for all newly hired nursing faculty. This process is grounded in the college mission, Catholic identity, and Roy's Adaptation Model, which emphasizes the development of adaptive, holistic nursing professionals.
Commitment to Faculty Growth
Donnelly College views onboarding as more than orientation, it is an intentional process of formation and support. Our nursing faculty are educators, mentors, and role models. The onboarding experience ensures each new member is empowered to contribute fully to our mission of preparing safe, compassionate, and adaptive nurses for today s healthcare system.
LINK to Onboarding Checklist for download Nursing - New Faculty Orientation Check List
Purpose of Onboarding
The onboarding process is designed to:
- Orient faculty to Donnelly College s academic, cultural, and spiritual environment
- Introduce faculty to the nursing program's curriculum, Evidence-Based Education framework, and assessment systems
- Ensure regulatory and accreditation compliance (KSBN, NCLEX)
- Promote teaching effectiveness, professional integrity, and student-centered practices
- Provide sustained mentorship and community integration
What to Expect During the Onboarding Process
- Pre-Arrival Preparation
- Initial welcome communication from the Program Director or designee
- Contract finalized and licensure/certification verified
- Provision of course assignments, syllabi templates, and handbook access
- Setup of technology tools (Canvas, SIS/Empower, ExamSoft if applicable)
Orientation (Week 1)
- Overview of Donnelly s mission, values, and student demographics
- Introduction to the nursing program s structure, philosophy, and use of the Roy Adaptation Model
- Review of policies: academic integrity, clinical attendance, simulation expectations, and student remediation
- Canvas and SIS/Student Information System training; clinical and/or simulation lab orientation (as applicable)
- Tour of the campus and introductions to nursing faculty, staff, and key support services
Faculty Orientation Checklist for new faculty
All faculty are required to attend a general university orientation, held at the beginning of each semester. In addition, regardless of when nursing faculty are hired, new nursing faculty are expected to complete a nursing orientation checklist to meet required on-boarding training, system setup and to create familiarity with the nursing department, including the program mission and objectives, departmental software, and technical tools and curriculum. Once completed, this checklist is signed and filed in the faculty employee s folder, located in the Nursing Department office.
Mentorship Assignment (First Semester)
All new nursing faculty are assigned an experienced faculty mentor for a minimum of one full academic semester. The mentor will ensure the new faculty mentee receives the information/educational material needed o fully embrace/orient to their new role.
Mentor responsibilities:
- Provide guidance, information, and feedback related to clinical responsibilities department culture; teaching effectiveness; testing construction, review, and management; and policies and procedures.
- Assist mentee to set priorities, manage time, and make choices among options and opportunities.
- Provide counsel and strategies for working within a team framework.
- Provide feedback and be available as a peer support resource throughout the semester.
Mentee responsibilities:
- Regular check-ins by the mentee (weekly or biweekly)
- Classroom, lab, or clinical shadowing opportunities
- Shared planning or review of assessments and grading tools
- Support from the mentor for navigating college systems, student concerns, and classroom management
- Guidance on adapting to the Donnelly culture and instructional expectations
Ongoing Faculty Support: During the first semester, new faculty will receive:
- Periodic check-ins with the Program Director or Course Lead
- Observation opportunities for feedback and growth (non-evaluative)
- Invitations to faculty meetings, simulation planning, and committee participation
- Mid-semester and end-of-semester input to support continuous improvement
- Access to internal and external professional development opportunities