A nurse educator is an experienced RN with an advanced degree responsible for teaching others nursing skills. Nurse educators work in many different institutions and centers of learning, including:
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
- Universities
- Community colleges
- Assisted living facilities
Nurse educators may find themselves teaching everything from basic classes to advanced topics. Additionally, they may play a role in workplace training programs and mentoring nursing students fulfilling their clinical requirements to qualify for their nursing licenses.
Advantages Of A Career As A Nurse Educator
There are many advantages to choosing a career as a nurse educator. Check out these perks, and you will see why this may be your career path:
Competitive Salary And Benefits
You will enjoy a great salary and other benefits as an experienced nurse with an advanced degree. The average salary before benefits for a nurse educator is currently $105,597. All nursing positions are in very high demand, so many institutions and hospitals offer competitive incentives to attract the quality staff they need to fill open positions.
Job Security
There is a great need for qualified nurse educators to teach at nursing schools. The medical field is currently experiencing a major shortage of nurses, so much effort is being put into recruiting promising individuals to train to be nurses. With salaries high and employment easy to find, there are a lot of new nursing students that need great educators.
A Great Work Schedule
Working in a hospital setting can mean working unconventional hours and longer shifts. However, nurse educators work during traditional business hours. That said, there may be some occasional weekend work, such as grading papers or attending conferences.
If you work in an academic setting, you get considerable time off. Many nurse educators enjoy three months off during the summer in addition to spring and winter breaks. This allows educators to pursue many personal hobbies and activities, spend time with family, or work a different summer job if they are motivated to do so.
It May Be Less Stressful Than A Clinical Setting
If you are a mid-career or senior-level nurse looking to advance your career, you may welcome the change of pace from a clinical to a classroom setting. Becoming a nurse educator is a wonderful way to still play an important and rewarding role without the hours and stress of a clinical position.
You Are Training The Next Generation Of Nurses
Teaching others is always rewarding. As a nurse educator, you can go home at the end of the day knowing that you helped advance your students’ careers and ensure that the next generation of nurses is well trained, compassionate, and ready to offer the best possible care to their patients.
The Choice Of Where To Work
Although many nurse educators find themselves working at nursing schools and universities, those are not the only options. For example, suppose you enjoy working within a hospital or other clinical environment. In that case, options are available, although they may require some slightly different or extra duties, depending on where you find a position.
If you enjoy traveling, there may be opportunities as a traveling nurse educator, or you may decide that you want to relocate to a new area permanently. Some areas may offer more competitive salaries than others.
How Do I Become A Nurse Educator?
If you have a bachelor’s degree in nursing and are currently a licensed RN in good standing, then you are well on your way toward a career as a nurse educator. Typically, nurse educators have worked as nurses in a clinical setting for years to build their skills and experience, so they feel confident to teach others.
An MSN in nursing education is a great way to get the credentials you need in order to be considered for higher-level educator positions. The good news is that an online MSN Nurse Educator program is achievable online at the Spring Arbor University which will enable you to continue to work whilst gaining valuable experiences.
What Are Some Examples Of The Roles Of A Nurse Educator?
Staff Training And Development
A nurse educator may teach the staff at a hospital or care facility. This can involve introducing nurses to new techniques and methods. In some cases, a nurse educator may be hired to teach classes that lead to nurses gaining credentials and certifications.
Core Nursing Classes At Universities And Community Colleges
With an MSN, you are qualified to teach those working towards a nursing degree or certificate. This may include teaching classes to those obtaining certified nurses’ aid certification, licensed nurse practitioner associate degree, or bachelor’s and master’s programs. Sometimes, a nurse educator may be asked to assist with first aid or CPR classes.
Engaging In Research
Nurse educators play an important role in designing and conducting research studies that help advance medical science. These studies may sometimes involve students or be a collaborative effort with other medical professionals, staff or students. If you want to be on the cutting edge of medical science, then research can help you achieve that dream.
Mentoring
Educators serve as academic advisors and workplace mentors. This involves helping students to plan out their career, choose a specialty, conduct research projects and find clinical placements, as well as simply being there to answer any questions a nursing student may have. In addition, you will find that you are asked to share your personal experiences and challenges over your career as a nurse and what you learned from them.
Speaking At Medical Conferences
Continued education and networking are part of being a nurse educator. You may be asked to teach a class or speak on various topics at professional conferences and meetings. This may include discussing your own research or speaking on a topic you have special experience with.
What Does A Typical Day As A Nurse Educator Involve?
Since a lot of nurse educators work in an academic setting, a day may involve designing curriculum, conducting lectures, meeting and advising students, grading assignments and meeting and collaborating with other staff. There may be times when a nurse educator needs to travel and attend conferences.
Nurse Educators Should Be Prepared To Continue Their Education
As an educator, it is part of your job to keep up with new techniques and treatment methods. This means you must take many continuing education classes throughout your career. This is great if you are the type of person that loves to learn new things. However, reading studies and staying on top of current medical trends is something you should also be doing on your own.
What Other Special Qualities Should A Nurse Educator Have?
A High Level Of Compassion
You will be teaching and mentoring future nurses. This means you must show them how important a high level of compassion and understanding is to be a great nurse. Nursing school can be more challenging for some than others, so it is important to understand your students and be compassionate in your interactions so that they mimic your behavior in their professional roles.
A Lifelong Love Of Learning And Teaching Others
Suppose you enjoyed your education and continue to love figuring out and overcoming challenges in your career — this is a sign that you might enjoy a role as a nurse educator. However, a love of teaching is a quality that some feel more than others. In fact, some people just seem like natural teachers.
The Ability To Give Clear Instructions And Offer Constructive Criticism
Educators need to be clear when teaching and providing instructions. Even the best student does not learn well if instruction is confusing. Part of your role as an educator is to help your students improve their skills and knowledge, but you also need to help them hone a good bedside manner and moral code. Providing these things to your students means you must understand how to offer helpful criticism. This means never offering criticism without offering advice on how to correct the problem. Giving compliments when students do well is important. No one thrives in a learning environment where negative comments far outweigh positive ones.
Conclusion
Achieving a master’s degree in nursing education is a smart way to advance your nursing career. With high job demand, competitive salaries, and the opportunity to work in many different settings, nursing education offers a lot of advantages for mid-career and senior-level nurses.
Online degree programs offer the flexibility that working nurses need to gain an advanced degree and increase their earning potential.