Report to Congress 

on 

Nursing Faculty and the Intergovernmental 

Personnel Act Mobility Program:

The Forum, Findings, and Recommendations

A New Day for the Civil Service

United States Office of Personnel Management

April 2010
Table of Contents 

Introduction ................................................................................................. 1

Background................................................................................................... 1

Nursing Shortage.................................................................................................... 1

Nurse Faculty Shortage........................................................................................... 2

IPA Forum for Agency Nursing Representatives........................................... 5

Forum Participants’ Perception of the Nursing and Faculty Shortage........................... 5

IPA Mobility Program Usage .................................................................................... 6

Barriers and Challenges in Using the IPA Mobility Program to Alleviate the Nursing and 

Faculty Shortage .................................................................................................... 8

Recommendations for Increasing the Use of the IPA Mobility Program to Address the 

Nursing and Faculty Shortage................................................................................ 10

Other Programs Addressing the Nursing and Faculty Shortage................................. 12

Next Steps .................................................................................................. 12

Attachment A: Federal Nurse Populations for Occupation Series 0605, 

0610, 0620, and 0621 (Forum Participants)............................................... 14

Attachment B: Forum Agenda (Facilitators Version) .................................. 15

Attachment C: Current and Projected Gaps and Surpluses for Nurse 

Occupation Series 0610, 0620, and 0621 ................................................... 16

Attachment D: Federal Nursing Population for Nurse Occupation Series 

0605, 0610, 0620, and 0621....................................................................... 18 

 

 
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 1 

Introduction

The shortage of nursing faculty in the United States is a complex issue that directly impacts the 

ability of colleges and universities to graduate qualified nurses. Congress has requested information 

from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on how the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) 

mobility program is being used to alleviate the nurse and nurse faculty shortage. In response to the 

congressional request, OPM has 

• Researched the adequacy of the supply of nurses and nurse faculty; 

• Gathered data about IPA usage and Federal nursing population; and 

• Convened a forum of nursing representatives from Federal agencies employing more than 

2,000 nurses. 

This report includes background research on the nurse and nurse faculty supply and findings from 

the forum, including agencies’ perception of the adequacy of the supply of nurses, current IPA 

usage, barriers and challenges to using the IPA mobility program, recommendations for increasing 

use of the IPA mobility program and actions taken by agencies, independent of the IPA mobility 

program, to increase the number of nurses in training. 

Background

Nursing Shortage

The nursing shortage is a multifaceted and expanding problem. It is projected that more than 1 

million new and replacement registered nurses (RNs) will be needed by 2016.1

 The demand for 

nurses is being fueled by (1) the need to replace the growing number of nurses who are reaching 

retirement age and (2) the growing need for new nurses to care for an increasingly elderly 

population. Innovations in treatment, preventative care, and new technology have also contributed 

to increased demand for nurses. What’s more, the increased demand is immune to the nation’s 

economic struggles. Despite the recession, the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms over 544,000 jobs 

have been added in the healthcare sector since September 2009. The U.S. Office of Personnel 

Management’s (OPM) Central Personnel Data File records over 82,500 nurses employed in the 

Federal Government. This includes persons in occupational series for nurse, nurse anesthetist, and 

practical nurse. The Federal agencies with the highest population of nurses include the 

Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs. Even with over 82,500 

nurses, in the future, the Federal Government expects a severe shortage of nurses. 

The current and projected shortage is a result of existing barriers that deter new and replacement 

nurses from joining the workforce. Healthcare employers, schools and universities, and policymakers 

have encountered difficulties in: 

 Attracting new nurses due to increased career options for women and disincentives 

associated with nursing, such as relatively flat earning power, undesirable hours, inflexible 

 

1

 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 
 2 

scheduling, mandatory overtime, and lack of mentors/role-models for underrepresented 

demographics such as males and Hispanics. 

 Enrolling qualified nurse candidates in accredited schools of nursing due to faculty 

shortages, budget constraints, and insufficient clinical training space.2

 Retaining new nurses due to a lack of work-life balance, high stress levels, emotional 

exhaustion, and decreased job satisfaction. 

In the last decade, initiatives led by healthcare employers and policymakers to increase 

scholarship and loan repayment options and rebrand the nursing image have led to increases in the 

number of qualified nursing student candidates. However, accredited schools of nursing have been 

unable to keep pace and provide the faculty to accommodate more students. 

The same factors have affected the Federal Government as an employer as well. OPM 

responded to the nursing shortage by approving a Governmentwide direct hire authority, which 

started June 20, 2003. Since June 2003, the Government hired 5,417 nurses under this direct hire 

authority which included 4,148 series 610 (nurse) and 1,269 series 620 (practical nurse). OPM 

approved the direct hire authority because the Federal Government was not able to obtain 

candidates with the appropriate medical skill sets needed to meet hiring demands at some of the 

Federal agencies that employ nurses, such as the Departments of Defense, Health and Human 

Services, and Veterans Affairs. This problem remains a concern even though the economic 

downturn has eased the problem for the short-term. 

 

 The demand for nurses will continue as the country’s needs stretch from emergency 

preparedness to natural disasters to supporting our troops. The Department of Defense needs 

nurses to treat military service members who are being returned daily from Iraq and Afghanistan in 

need of special medical assistance and attention. Nurses are needed to assist with returning these 

military service members to either a quality civilian life or military service. Equally challenging was 

the Federal Government H1N1 flu initiative. This was one of the largest mass-vaccination programs 

in human history. Nurses were critical to this effort because they could assist with determining how 

many shots were needed, what the correct dosage should be, and more importantly how to 

administer the vaccine. 

Nurse Faculty Shortage

The nurse faculty shortage is a root cause of the growing nurse shortage. In March 2008, the 

Council on Physician and Nurse Supply projected at least 30,000 additional nurses have to graduate 

annually to meet growing healthcare needs. That is a 30% expansion over the current number of 

annual nurse graduates. One factor limiting the expansion of nursing programs is educational 

institutions’ inability to recruit and retain qualified nursing faculty and clinical instructors. The 

combination of faculty vacancies and unfilled newly-budgeted faculty positions has resulted in a 

nationwide faculty shortage. In 2008-2009, U.S. nursing schools turned away over 49,948 qualified 

applicants.3 A 2006-2007 study conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing 

 

2

 American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) 2009 Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet 

3

 Addressing the Nursing Shortage: A Focus on Nurse Faculty. American Association of College of Nursing 

(AACN) 
 3 

(AACN) found that almost three quarters (71%) of nursing schools identified faculty shortages as a 

reason for denying admission to qualified applicants. As further evidence of the critical shortage, an 

AACN Survey on Vacant Faculty Positions for Academic Year 2009-2010 found the national vacancy 

rate for schools offering baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs is 6.6% with vacancy rates 

exceeding 9% in some regions. Of the 554 schools responding, 310 reported vacancies for Academic 

Year 2009-2010. Within those schools reporting vacancies, the vacancy rate was 9.7% (803 faculty 

positions left unfilled). Compared to the North Atlantic (9.3%), Southern (9.4%), and Mid-Western 

(9.8%) regions of the country, the West Coast (10.8%) has the highest faculty vacancy rate. 

Factors contributing to the nurse faculty shortage include: 

 Small percentage of nurse workforce with advanced degrees: Continual 

developments in medical technology and practice have led to an increasingly complex 

medical environment. To respond, many leaders in nursing education have called for 

increased standards in credentialing for nurse faculty, including obtaining a Master’s or 

Doctoral degree. Only 13% of registered nurses have a Master’s or Doctoral degree. There 

are “inherent disincentives in salary and advancement opportunities if they leave their 

current positions to acquire an advanced degree... nurses are rewarded financially and 

professionally for their time on the job.”4

 Of the limited percentage of nurses that choose to 

pursue an advanced degree, the majority are enrolled in clinical practice and nurse 

practitioner programs that offer higher salaries and more autonomy. Also, despite increased 

enrollment, graduations from doctoral programs are still below what is needed to meet 

demand as the majority of vacant nurse faculty positions require a Doctoral level of 

education. 

 Aging faculty: The average age of nurse faculty with doctoral degrees is 55 years. For 

Master's degree-prepared nurse faculty, the average age is 54 years.5

 According to a 2002 

study, the average age of nurse faculty at retirement is 62.5 years.6

 Though many nurse 

educators may have delayed retirement due to the economic situation in recent years, a 

wave of faculty retirements can be expected in the near future. 

 Low salaries compared to clinical roles: Nursing education programs often lose money 

for colleges due to the high cost of maintaining clinical laboratories, which limits an 

institution’s willingness to expand or raise faculty salaries. As a result, nurses with advanced 

degrees are more likely to accept higher paying clinical positions. Higher compensation in 

clinical and private-sector settings is luring current and potential nurse educators away from 

teaching. According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the average salary of a 

nurse practitioner with a Master’s degree is $81,060 compared to the annual average salary 

of $69,489 of a nursing faculty member with a Master’s degree.7

Increasing the supply of nurse educators is critical to producing an adequate nurse workforce and 

ensuring access to quality healthcare. As such, alleviating the nurse faculty shortage is a national 

 

4

 Young, Lisa. “But, Who will Teach Them.” Nursing Career Ladder Initiative. Spring 2003. 

5

 “2006-2007 Salaries of Instructional and Administrative Nursing Faculty.” AACN 

6

 “The Shortage of Doctorally Prepared Nursing Faculty: A Dire Situation.” Nursing Outlook. March/April 

2002.

7

 Addressing the Nursing Shortage: A Focus on Nurse Faculty. AACN 
 4 

social responsibility that requires collective action from healthcare employers, schools and 

universities, and government policymakers. 

At the Federal level, a number of initiatives are targeted to solve the nurse faculty shortage. Efforts 

to increase the number of nurse faculty, and increase the pool of RNs, include the Nursing 

Workforce Development programs under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act and the Nursing 

Education, Expansion, and Development (NEED) Act of 2007. 

Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs provide the largest source of Federal funding 

for nursing education. Specifically, Advanced Education Nursing Grants and the Nurse Faculty Loan 

Program help to fund the education of additional nurse faculty. In 2009, there were 149 

participating institutions with 1,600 students receiving loan support to become faculty and 796 

graduated under the program.8

The NEED Act provides capitation and formula grants to nursing schools to be used for hiring or 

retaining current faculty, purchasing educational equipment, enhancing clinical laboratories, 

repairing and expanding infrastructure, and recruiting students. However, according to AACN, “these 

programs and additional funds have helped expand the nursing education pipeline; but it is just not 

enough.”9

 The NEED Act allows graduate nursing programs $1,800 per year for each Master’s or 

Doctoral nursing student for a maximum of two years per Master’s student, and four years per 

Doctoral student.10

Congress believes Federal agencies can help solve the nurse faculty shortage, thereby helping to 

alleviate the nurse shortage, through use of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) which allows 

federally employed nurses to be assigned temporarily as nurse faculty. The conference committee 

that reported out the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY 2010 (subsequently enacted as 

Public Law 111-117) directed OPM to “carry out the Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility 

Program and to report to the Committees on Appropriations no later than 120 days after 

enactment. . .on how the mobility program is being used to alleviate the nursing shortage and 

on the demonstrable steps OPM has taken to encourage government-employed nurses to teach 

at accredited schools of nursing.”

Under the IPA, Government nurses could work at schools of nursing to fill vacant or newly budgeted 

faculty positions and encourage new nurse graduates to join the Government. As part of an effort to 

examine the use of the IPA mobility program to alleviate the nurse and nurse faculty shortage, OPM 

convened a half-day forum with representatives from Federal agencies with large nurse populations. 

 

8

 E. Michele Richardson, MS, BSN, RN at the 121st meeting of the National Advisory Council on Nurse 

Education and Practice, held November 19-20, 2009 

9

 American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “FY 2008 Recommendation: Strategies to Address the 

Nursing Shortage.” February 21, 2007. 

10 The Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development (NEED) Act Summary (108th Congress) H.R. 5324 
IPA Forum for Agency Nursing Representatives

OPM convened a half-day forum to find out how agencies are currently using the IPA mobility 

program and to discuss the viability of using the IPA mobility program to assign federally employed 

nurses to faculty positions at accredited schools of nursing. 

Forum participants included nine (9) representatives from Federal agencies employing more than 

2,000 nurses. Representatives from the following agencies were in attendance (in-person or via 

telephone): 

 Civilian Personnel Management Service, Department of Defense, (DoD) 

 Department of the Air Force, (DoD) 

 Department of the Army, DoD 

 Department of the Navy, DoD 

 Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) 

 National Institutes of Health, HHS 

 Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 

One additional representative from Veterans Affairs (VA) provided feedback via email. The forum 

took place on March 12, 2010 and was facilitated by a contractor with knowledge of the nursing 

industry. 

In preparation for the forum, OPM gathered data on the participating agencies’ nursing populations 

(See Attachment A). This information helped guide development of the forum agenda and questions 

(See Attachment B). The forum addressed the following topics: 

 Participants’ perception of the nursing shortage and its impact on their agencies; 

 IPA mobility program usage, including an overview of IPA guidelines, a review of available 

IPA assignment data, and general trends in how the IPA mobility program is used; 

 Barriers and challenges to using the IPA mobility program, both in general and as it relates 

to nursing; 

 Recommendations for increasing use of the IPA mobility program; and 

 Alternative programs and ideas for addressing the nursing shortage. 

Forum Participants' Perception of the Nursing and Faculty Shortage

Forum participants were asked about their perception of the national nursing shortage and the 

impact that it is having on their agencies. 

Due to the recent downturn in the economy the majority of participating agencies are not currently 

experiencing a shortage of nurses, though they recognize there is an imminent, long-term national 

shortage. Participants indicated that recently agencies do not have a problem attracting and 

retaining Federal nurses. Participants reported that many federally employed nurses temporarily 

delayed their retirement but agencies expect a large attrition wave when the economic situation 

eases. (See Attachment C for data on expected attrition of HHS and VA nurses in FY2010-FY2014). 

Respondents from some Department of Defense components and the National Institutes of Health 

anticipate that the nursing shortage will not impact them as much as hospitals and other healthcare 

 5 
employers because they are an employer of choice with desirable service locations, competitive 

salaries, and, in some cases, recruitment bonuses and retention incentives. By contrast, Indian 

Health Service (IHS) representatives reported immense difficulty recruiting nurses due to rural 

hospital locations and lack of complex patient care. The Department of the Army also reported 

difficulty in recruiting and retaining nurses in rural locations. IHS is able to secure some staffing 

through nursing education scholarship programs that obligate recipients to work for IHS upon 

graduation. 

IPA Mobility Program Usage

Prior to asking participants about their agencies’ IPA usage, an OPM Staffing Policy Analyst provided 

an overview of the IPA mobility program. The critical program information and guidelines, as they 

pertain to this effort, are outlined in this section. This section also includes data gathered on IPA 

usage, and findings and trends as reported by agency representatives at the forum. 

IPA Mobility Program Overview

The Intergovernmental Personnel Act mobility program authorizes the temporary assignment of 

personnel between the Federal Government and State and local governments, colleges and 

universities, and other eligible entities. The purpose of the program is to support innovation and 

enable participating organizations to share resources and expertise to solve mutual problems and 

improve public services. 

Rules and regulations relating to temporary assignments under the IPA are outlined in 5 CFR part 

334. The information below includes general program guidelines which govern the IPA program. 

 IPA Assignments: Assignments typically last up to 2 years but can be extended for up to 2 

additional years. Upon accepting an IPA assignment, a Federal employee must agree to 

continued service with the Federal Government upon completion of assignment for a period 

equal to the length of the assignment. The employee, the Federal agency, and the 

participating entity must enter into a written agreement outlining obligations and 

responsibilities. At the end of an IPA assignment, a Federal employee must be allowed to 

resume the duties of the position occupied prior to the assignment or be reassigned to 

another position of like pay and grade. It should be noted that a Federal employee may not 

spend more that 6 years of his or her Federal career on IPA assignments. 

 Employee Status: Employees on an IPA assignment are on detail or leave without pay 

(LWOP). The assignee remains an employee of his or her original organization and retains 

the rights and benefits attached to that status. The position is subject to any personnel 

actions that may occur. 

 Costs: Can be shared by the partnering organizations or assumed entirely by one or the 

other. Costs may include employee pay, supplemental pay, and certain fringe benefits, 

travel, and relocation costs. 

 Role of OPM: OPM assists organizations by providing information on program policies and 

procedures, and on ways that assignments can be used to improve delivery of public 

services. OPM is not responsible for arranging individual assignments, except for its own 

employees. 

 6 
The majority of forum participants indicated that they were familiar with the IPA mobility program. 

IPA Usage Data

OPM pulled data on the number of non-Federal and Federal employees on IPA assignments from 

FY2004 to FY2009. Figure 1 includes total IPA assignments for all agencies as reported in the 

Central Personnel Data File. 

 

Figure 1: Number of Employees on IPA Assignments--- 

Non-Federal Employees on IPA 

Assignments 

(All Occupations) 

Federal Employees on IPA 

Assignments 

(All Occupations) 

FY2004 3 554 

FY2005 12 426 

FY2006 2 392 

FY2007 1 223 

FY2008 27 329 

FY2009 18 457 

Total 63 2381 

Source: Central Personnel Data File 

IPA Usage Findings and Trends

Forum participants were asked to review data on the number of nurses employed by their agencies 

on IPA assignment between FY2004 and FY2009. Representatives from Veterans Health 

Administration (VHA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Department of Defense (DoD) said 

the number of IPA assignments reported appeared to be low. According to representatives from 

Indian Health Service (IHS), there are many IHS nurses on special purpose IPA assignments but 

those assignments are not reported in the Central Personnel Data File. Under the Indian SelfDetermination and Education Assistance Act, Indian tribal governments can take over hospitals 

previously managed by IHS. In such cases, the tribal government has the option to retain IHS 

employees on special purpose IPA assignments. 

Forum participants were asked how the IPA program is used at their agencies. All participating 

agencies representatives agreed the IPA mobility program is primarily used to temporarily assign 

non-Federal employees to perform research at Government facilities. None of the participants had 

knowledge of Federally employed nurses using the IPA to teach at nursing schools. Although NIH 

representatives reported that NIH employees may serve on dissertation committees or give lectures 

at local nursing schools, these relationships do not use the IPA mobility program. Rather, they are 

most often intermittent and individually arranged. The forum participants provided data on 

registered and practical nurses on IPA assignments. The chart below summarizes the data. 

 7 
Non-Federal Employees on IPA 

Assignments 

(Nurse (610) and Practical Nurses 

(620) 

Federal Employees on IPA 

Assignments 

(Nurse (610) and Practical Nurses 

(620) 

FY2004 0 0 

FY2005 0 2 

FY2006 0 1 

FY2007 2 3 

FY2008 17 1 

FY2009 8 3 

Total 27 10 

Barriers and Challenges in Using the IPA Mobility Program to Alleviate the

Nursing and Faculty Shortage

Forum participants were asked to identify barriers and challenges in using the IPA Mobility Program 

to address the nursing and nursing faculty shortage. Based on participant responses, the barriers 

and challenges were divided into three topic areas: 

I. Barriers and challenges related to the general usage of the IPA mobility program 

II. Barriers and challenges regarding the use of the IPA mobility program to address the nursing 

and nursing faculty shortage 

III. Barriers and challenges related to the nursing and nursing faculty shortage that are beyond 

the scope of the IPA mobility program 

I. Barriers and Challenges to General Usage of the IPA Mobility Program (regardless of 

professional discipline): 

 Awareness/Outreach: 

o Turnover in Government may mean that HR, senior leaders, managers and 

employees are unaware of the program 

o IPA mobility program is not linked to career progression 

o No obvious reason for agencies to use IPA (no clear agency incentives) 

 Limited agency personnel resources 

o If nurses, analysts or program specialists used the IPA mobility program, the agency 

would need to replace them while on assignment. 

 Lengthy time commitment 

 8 
o Two year IPA commitment 

o Post-IPA service commitment 

 Perception of complexity in the IPA application and approval process 

Challenges specific to using IPA to bring non-Government staff into an agency:

 Difficult to adapt to the Federal culture

 Impact on self and family to relocate to a new geographical location for a 2-4 year period

 Cost of living in assigned area

II. Barriers and Challenges Regarding Use of the IPA Mobility Program to Address the 

Nursing and Nursing Faculty Shortage: 

 Conflicting perceptions of program purpose: Perception of some forum participants that the 

purpose of the IPA is to gain new skills for participants. If agencies are sending Federal 

nurses out to teach, they are not fulfilling IPA purpose for learning new skills that benefit the 

agency except perhaps to increase teaching skills. 

 Mission needs: 

o Unclear advantage for agency participation in program 

o Agencies may prefer to focus nurses’ teaching and research capabilities on 

educational and operational issues related to agency mission 

o Teaching is resource intensive and agencies need to focus on meeting patient care 

needs 

 Staffing concerns: 

o Fewer nurses in the agency where there may already be a nursing shortage and 

recognition of an impending shortage for agencies which currently may not be 

experiencing a nursing shortage. 

o Increased burden on those nurses remaining within agency 

o Federal nurses may not have the right skills and experience to address the faculty 

shortage 

 Credentials/Qualifications issues: 

o Federal nurses may not possess adequate credentials for teaching (Master’s or 

Doctoral degrees). If they do, the agency is releasing highly skilled/qualified 

personnel needed at the agency 

o A good nurse may not be a good teacher 

 Funding issues: 

o The agency funds the person’s time then that person is pulled away from what they 

were hired to do 

o The academic institution realizes the benefit while the Government pays the salary 

 Geographic challenges: 

o Agencies not always located near teaching facilities 

o Currently agencies may experience a problem recruiting in less desirable locations 

III. Barriers and Challenges Related to the Nursing and Faculty Shortage Beyond the 

Scope of the IPA Mobility Program: 

 Nursing shortage: 

o Attrition is due to age and burnout 

o There is a limited number of places for clinical placement 

o There are issues related to respect for the profession 

 9 
 Faculty shortage: 

o High academic standards may discourage nurses from seeking faculty positions 

because they may need to spend time and resources to acquire advanced degrees 

o There are high costs associated with faculty training and education 

o The nursing faculty salaries are not competitive. Nurses can earn more in clinical 

practice 

o Teaching is physically demanding and goes beyond the classroom 

Recommendations for Increasing the Use of the IPA Mobility Program to

Address the Nursing and Faculty Shortage

Participants were asked to consider and identify ways that OPM could assist agencies in increasing 

their use of the IPA program to address the nursing shortage. During the conversation a theme 

emerged related to the strong need for outreach and awareness activities to support the program. 

Another area repeatedly mentioned by participants was the possibility of positioning teaching as a 

viable post-Federal career. These themes form a backdrop for the recommendations section. 

Participant recommendations are categorized in three areas: 

I. Communication recommendations 

II. Programmatic recommendations 

III. Other recommendations 

Note: Recommendations include activities that would most likely be the responsibility of OPM, 

activities that would most likely be the responsibility of agencies, and activities for which OPM and 

agencies would share responsibility. This information is denoted in italic parentheses. 

I. Communication Recommendations (OPM)

 Conduct analysis and data gathering to support program usage 

o Update agency figures on use of the IPA mobility program 

o Collect data on national long-term impact of the nursing and faculty shortage 

o Identify where the experienced people with the right credentials are. They may 

not be in the direct service agencies with the large numbers of direct care nurses 

 Highlight pros and cons of the IPA mobility program 

o Identify benefits of program usage for the agencies 

o Identify agency cost/benefit for senior leaders 

 Develop incentives for participation 

o Identify agency advantages for supporting nurse participation, such as 

 Use the IPA mobility program as a recruitment tool 

• Federal IPA participants act as ambassadors and mentors 

• Federal IPA participants encourage students under their 

supervision to consider a career in Federal service upon 

graduation 

o Identify possible incentives for program participation by Federal nurses 

 Student loan repayment/forgiveness 

 Gain experience in other work cultures 

 10 
 Teaching as a means to give back to profession and create a legacy 

 Gain skills and identify a possible career after Federal retirement 

 Develop tools to support the program 

o Marketing materials 

o FAQs and webinars 

 Target outreach and awareness 

o Work to gain senior leader buy-in 

o Customize tools and marketing efforts specifically for HR, for managers and for 

potential participants 

II. IPA Programmatic Recommendations (OPM/Agency)

 Broaden the approach (OPM/Agency) 

o Consider experts in all Allied Health positions as potentially qualified to teach 

specific segments of nursing curriculum (e.g., chemists to teach nurse chemistry, 

others to teach ethics, biology) 

 Address funding issues (Agency)

o Identify funding to allow the agency to backfill position while employee uses IPA 

o Fund programs to allow Federal nurses to gain teaching qualifications and 

credentials 

 Examine the service agreement 

o Consider waiving the service agreement (OPM)

 Requesting waivers could be too cumbersome 

 Consider extending program participation beyond six years 

o Amend agreement if nurse wants to stay in faculty position (Agency)

III. Other Recommendations (OPM/Agency)

 Create partnerships 

o Include nursing academic institutions in the discussion (OPM)

o Build strong relationships with colleges and universities to approach problem as 

partners (Agency)

o Capitalize on models developed at the state level with universities and hospitals 

(OPM/Agency)

o Partner to develop a white paper that builds a case for strategic planning 

between schools and agencies for using IPAs (OPM)

 Leverage other agencies (OPM)

o Work with HHS Health Resources and Services Administration (a provider of 

grants that support nursing education) to consider incorporating language into 

their grants that encourages participating colleges and universities to partner 

with agencies and through IPAs. 

 Create a funded pilot with evaluation criteria to experiment with promising approaches to 

increasing use of the IPA to address the nursing shortage (OPM)

 Position of the program (OPM) 

o The IPA mobility program should supplement, not replace, existing partnerships 

and consortiums initiated by agencies, states and healthcare employers. 

 11 
Other Programs Addressing the Nursing and Faculty Shortage

The forum concluded with a discussion of other (non-IPA) programs that participating agencies have 

developed and initiated to address the nursing shortage. Please note this list is limited to programs 

discussed at the forum and is not an exhaustive list of participating agencies efforts. 

 VA Nursing Academy (VANA), a five-year pilot program that began in FY2008, partners 

the VA’s world-class healthcare system with accredited schools of nursing. The program 

provides mutual benefit to nursing schools and VA facilities by expanding faculty and 

professional development, increasing nursing student enrollment primarily in baccalaureate 

programs although some increases in graduate programs may also occur, encouraging 

educational and practice innovations, increasing hiring of new nursing graduates, and 

increasing retention of VA nurses. The program currently has 15 active partnerships. 

 DoD Graduate School of Nursing, in the Uniformed Services University of the Health 

Services, offers Master’s degree programs in nurse anesthesia, family nurse practitioner, and 

perioperative nursing, and a Doctoral program in nursing science. DoD provides incentives 

for active duty and Federal civilian nurses to pursue advanced degrees at the USU Graduate 

School of Nursing by covering all tuition costs. Students continue to receive their regular 

salaries while completing their degree program. 

 IHS Health Professions Scholarship Programs provide financial support to American 

Indian and Alaska Native students pursuing degrees in nursing. 

 National Institute of Nursing Research collaborates with universities to provide 

research opportunities to students in fast-track Baccalaureate-to-Doctoral programs, thereby 

accelerating the development of new nurse scientists and faculty.

Next Steps  

OPM recognizes that addressing the challenge presented by the nurse and nurse faculty shortage 

will require continued activities and monitoring. Efforts and activities captured in this report are a 

first step. OPM anticipates conducting additional forums to capture best practices in IPA mobility 

program usage, particularly as it relates to Federal employee use of the program. OPM will continue 

to work with forum participants to increase awareness of the program and track IPA mobility 

program usage. Additionally, OPM will identify recommendations to alleviate the nursing faculty 

shortage and explore specific proposals to use IPA to address the shortage, recognizing the 

associated cost to fill resulting vacancies or pay for dual comp positions. OPM will work with 

academic institutions and key agency stakeholders on possible solutions and would welcome the 

opportunity to meet with members of Congress and their staffs to explore specific opportunities. 

OPM is considering other efforts to expand the outreach of the IPA mobility program, such as annual 

data collection. OPM will work through the Chief Human Capital Officers Council to determine ways 

to utilize the program as a recruiting and talent management tool. Internal OPM Human Capital 

Officers are being trained to support the agencies in the use of the IPA. Further, the IPA mobility 

 12 
program regulations will be assessed to identify opportunities to strengthen the program to meet 

key priorities in talent management and hiring reform. 

 13 
 14 

Attachment A: Federal Nurse Populations for Occupation Series 0605, 0610,

0620, and 0621 for Forum Participants

Nurse Anesthetist Series (0605), Nurse Series (0610), Practical Nurse Series (0620),  

and Nursing Assistant Series (0621) Population, for Forum Participants

Source: Fed Scope, September 2009

Nurse Population 

Agency & Sub-element 

0605-NURSE 

ANESTHETIST 

(TITLE 38) 

0610-

NURSE 

0620-

PRACTICAL 

NURSE 

0621-

NURSING 

ASSISTANT Total 

D+-DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 0 8,096 2,714 1,437 12,247

AF-DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 0 801 166 91 1,058

AR-DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY 0 5,480 2,217 1,325 9,022

DD-OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 0 113 1 0 114

NV-DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 0 1,702 330 21 2,053

HE-DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 0 5,424 283 575 6,282

HE10-OFC SEC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 0 2,034 56 50 2,140

 HE36-FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION 0 57 0 0 57

 HE37-INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE 0 2,167 223 520 2,910

 HE39-CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND 

PREVENTN 0 10 0 0 10

 HE70-CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID 

SERVICES 0 105 0 0 105

VA-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 680 51,500 12,763 10,143 75,086
Attachment B: Forum Agenda (Facilitators Version)

Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Forum 

For Agency Nursing Representatives 

Date: Friday, March 12, 2010 

Time: 9:30AM – 1:00PM 

Background: 

OPM has a mandate for a report to Congress in mid-April regarding OPM's actions in alleviating the 

nursing shortage. One reason for the shortage of nurses in the public/private sectors is the lack of 

faculty at educational institutions to educate nursing students. Congress wants to know how the IPA 

(Intergovernmental Personnel Act) program is being used to address the faculty shortage. The IPA 

allows Federal employees to work at certain nonprofits or educational institutions and allows staff 

from nonprofits or educational institutions to work for the Government for limited periods of time. 

Congress is promoting the idea for nurses employed in the Federal Government to work at nursing 

schools to increase the number of faculty and encourage new nurses to join the Government. 

Purpose: 

To discuss the feasibility of using the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) program to address the 

national nursing shortage by assigning Federal nurses to temporary faculty positions at accredited 

schools of nursing. 

Time Agenda 

9:30AM – 

9:35AM WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

9:35AM – 

9:50AM 

OVERVIEW OF THE IPA PROGRAM

• Purpose 

• Policies and Procedures 

9:50AM – 

10:00AM OVERVIEW OF THE CONGRESSIONAL REQUEST

10:00AM – 

10:30AM 

IF AND HOW AGENCIES CURRENTLY USE THE IPA MOBILITY PROGRAM

• Lead in: Are you talking about the nursing and faculty shortage in 

your organizations? What are your agency’s views? Impacts? 

HAND OUT: IPA ASSIGNMENT DATA

• Review data with participants: 

o Do these numbers appear accurate? 

o The nurses currently in IPA assignments: What are they 

doing? Where are they assigned? 

 15 
• Are IPA assignments used more to detail Federal employees to other 

organizations or vice versa? Why? 

• Are people coming in and asking for assignments or is the agency 

doing outreach to promote the use of IPA to nurses? 

• This presupposes that you are using the program. If the IPA mobility 

program is not being used, explain why. Would you consider using 

the program? Why or why not? 

10:30AM – 

11:25AM 

BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES TO USING THE IPA MOBILITY PROGRAM TO 

ADDRESS THE NURSING SHORTAGE (WORKSHEET)

• Are there any general barriers to using the IPA mobility program (not 

specific to addressing the nursing shortage)? (e.g., extended service 

commitment, relocation costs, compensation arrangements) 

• What are the possible barriers and challenges to using the IPA 

mobility program to assign Federal nurses to faculty positions?

o Does your agency have nurses to spare? 

o Do Federal nurses have the credentials needed to assume 

faculty or clinical instructor positions at nursing schools?

o Do you think agency leaders would be willing to approve IPA 

assignments?

11:25AM – 

11:30AM BREAK

11:30AM – 

12:15PM 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INCREASING USE OF THE IPA MOBILITY PROGRAM 

(WORKSHEET) 

• What do you need from OPM to increase the use of the IPA mobility 

program in your agency? 

• What other things should OPM consider as it addresses the issue of 

using the IPA to alleviate the nursing/faculty shortage? 

12:15PM – 

12:45PM 

IPA MOBILITY PROGRAM ALTERNATIVES FOR ADDRESSING THE NURSING 

SHORTAGE

• Is your agency using another mechanism to help alleviate the nursing 

and faculty shortage? 

12:45PM – 

1:00PM 

FORUM WRAP-UP: 

 If needed, can we follow up with you? 

 

 16 
17 

Attachment C: Current and Projected Gaps and Surpluses for Nurse Occupation Series 06

The table below is an analysis of the agencies’ current and projected staffing levels, their projected attrition ratesestimates for Fiscal Year (FY)2009 through FY2014 for the nurse occupation series 0610, 0620, and 0621. The 

information agencies submitted in their 2009 Human Capital Management Report’s Systems Standards and MetrVA identified the nurse occupation series 0610 as a mission critical occupation. The VA identified two addition

occupations, Practical Nurse Series (0620) and Nursing Assistant Series (0621). For the columns containing The Closed by the End of the fiscal year (2009 and 2014), those numbers are based on the agency’s Number of EmplSeptember 30, 2009 against their Target for Number of Employees to Reach by September 30 of FY2009 and FYbelow for Gap or Surplus for the end of FY2009 are indicating a surplus for HHS and VA while the numbers for the end of FY2014 are indicating gaps for both HHS and VA. 

HHS & VA Nurses (0610, 0620, & 0621) 

Occupation 

Series Agency 

Number of 

Employees 

On Board 

on October 

1, 2009 

Projected 

Attrition for 

FY2010 

Staffing 

Level for 

FY2010 

Projected 

Attrition for 

FY 2011 - 

FY2014 

Staffing 

Level for 

FY2014 

Projected 

Attrition for 

FY2010-

FY2014*** 

 Nurse Series (0610) HHS 3405 -480 3320 -2400 3668 -2880 Nurse Series ((0610) VA 51751 -3564 48361 -15985 52855 -19549 Nurse Series (0610)Total HHS, VA 55156 -4044 51681 -18385 56523 -22429 Practical Nurse Series (0620) VA 12876 -1265 12507 -5555 13591 -6820 Nursing Assistant Series (0621) VA 10212 -1141 10006 -5420 10873 -6561 

Notes 

• Blue = Occupation totals for reporting agencies (HHS & VA).• * FY2010 Targets are established by agencies. There is no calculation to determine this number• ** Gap or Surplus to Close for FY 2014 = Employees onboard by the end of FY 2009 PLUS (+) Projected attr

through 2014 MINUS (-) Target by end of FY2014 (the numbers here are indicating gaps for HHS & VA). 

• ***Projected Attrition for FY2010-FY2014 = Projected Attrition for FY2010 PLUS (+) Projected Attrition for FY
Attachment D: Federal Nursing Population for Nurse Occupation Series 0605, 0610, 062

BREAKDOWN BY AGENCY FOR THE FOLLOWING OCCUPATIONS: 0605, 0610, 0620, & 0621

SOURCE: SEPTEMBER 2009 CENTRAL PERSONNEL DATA FILE (CPDF)

NURSES 

0605-NURSE 

ANESTHETIST 

0620-PRACTICAL 

AGENCY 

(TITLE 38) 

0610-NURSE 

NURSE 

0621-NURSIN

AF-DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 801 166 

AG-DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 44 11 

AR-DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY 5,480 2,217 

CM-DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 14 

DD-OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 113 1 

DJ-DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 629 99 

DL-DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 14 

DN-DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 2 

EP-ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 2 

FC-FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 1 

HE-DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 5,424 283 

HS-DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 35 

IN-DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR 15 3 

KS-CORP FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE 1 

LP-GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 3 

NV-DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 1,702 330 

OM-OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 4 

PU-PEACE CORPS 23 

RH-ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME 19 38 

RR-RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD 1 

SM-SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 10 

ST-DEPARTMENT OF STATE (MINUS FOREIGN SVC) 37 

SZ-SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 26 

TD-DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 15 

TR-DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY 7 

VA-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 680 51,500 12,763 

All 680 65,922 15,911

0605/0610/0620=82,513

18 
United States

Office of Personnel Management

Employee Services

1900 E Street, NW

Washington, DC 20415

ES/AVS-01