Three: Gain Work Experience
An important aspect of how to become a nurse educator involves acquiring the knowledge and acumen to instruct students in a nursing specialty. It is only with hands-on clinical experience that a nurse educator can provide students with practical skills to meet their patients health care needs.
Experience is a critical component of the evidence-based nursing education promoted by NCSBN. In evidence-based nursing education, students learn how to view all available information when considering a treatment plan. For example, the patients medical history, the attending physicians examination notes, and details about the patients work and living situation all contribute to determining the best course of action.
What Are The Tuition And Costs Of An Msn
The tuition and costs of an MSN program can vary greatly between schools. Base tuition can range from a few hundred per credit to over a thousand per credit. For example, the University of Phoenix lists current tuition at $540 per credit. The program is a minimum of 36 credits, so students can expect to spend around $20,000 for the program for tuition only. However, there may be additional fees required, so students must prepare for those costs. Most schools are very transparent on their website with tuition rates and fees, so performing a little research would behoove any prospective student when planning to return to school.
Your Path To Becoming A Nurse Educator Or Nurse Leader
Getting your Master of Science in nursing from Charleston Southern University offers you the flexibility and support you need to pursue continued education while working. This program offers five-week intensive classes where you are only engaged in one class at a time so that you can focus on the material at hand. Teaching projects and hands-on learning partnerships are provided in order to get firsthand experience in your desired advanced-degree field.
The program offers two tracks, one in nursing leadership and healthcare administration and one in nursing education. Both programs combine nursing knowledge and education with Christian beliefs and practices to make a well-rounded, caring MSN graduate.
A post-Masters certificate in nursing education is also offered for nurses who already have a masters degree in nursing and desire educational preparation in nursing education.
Are you an employee of Trident Health Systems, Greenville Health System or Spartanburg Regional Hospital enrolling in a Master of Science in nursing program at Charleston Southern University? If so, you are eligible for a 10% Tuition Discount. Click here to view our current tuition rates.
Don’t Miss: Nightingale School Of Nursing Acceptance Rate
Complete A Bachelor Of Science In Nursing
While aspiring nurses can enter this field with an associate degree, those pursuing a nursing administration career will be required to complete more education. At a minimum, a bachelors degree is required to enter this field. There are numerous bachelor of science in nursing programs across the country. Students who aspire to be in administration will benefit from taking on leadership roles such as joining student nursing association chapters or student government.
What Education Does A Healthcare Administrator Need
Healthcare administrators need to have at least a bachelors degree in healthcare management to get a job in a starting position. This type of degree will teach you business and healthcare fundamentals that’ll help you understand daily operations, budgets, strategy, and communication for healthcare positions within medical facilities.
Many employers will require applicants to have an MBA in healthcare management or a master of health leadership to demonstrate that they understand principles of person-focused and culturally relevant care and are adequately prepared for leadership in the healthcare industry. These advanced degrees will go deeper into executive strategy, large-scale management, and leadership principles that are key for administration positions.
Many employers prefer health administration candidates to have experience in a healthcare setting. This type of experience is critical to ensuring you are qualified to take on more leadership responsibilities in an organization.
Don’t Miss: South College Nurse Practitioner Program
Inspire Others In Nursing
The role of nurse educator is significant as it helps shape the future of both nursing professionals and the field alike.
If you want to touch countless lives and improve staff development, then the role of nurse educator may be for you.
Spring Arbors online MSN-Ed degree program prepared students for a successful future in nursing education through a solid academic foundation. Lead the future of nursing education and help bridge the gap in healthcare.
Click here to learn more about Spring Arbor Universitys online MSN-Ed program.
CNE FAQs. National League for Nursing.
Creative Strategies for Teaching Millennial Nursing Students. Nurse Educator, November/December 2017.
Nursing Faculty Shortage. American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
The Future of the Nursing Workforce: National and State-Level Projections, 2012-2025. United States Department of Health and Human Services.
25-1072 Nursing Instructors. United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2018.
Complete A Master’s Or Doctoral Degree In Nursing Education
Once you have logged a significant number of hours work as an RN, the next step is to apply for admissions into an accredited graduate nursing school. Many nurse educators decide to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing degree with a specialization in nursing education, which will typically consist of just one year of full-time studies. However, it is important to note that a doctoral degree is typically required to teach at many universities, so receiving a Ph.D. or Ed.D. with a specialization in nursing education will open more advanced faculty positions. Along with building clinical expertise, graduate degree programs for nurse educators will deliver courses covering curriculum development, program planning, instructional methods, professional ethics, learning assessment, and teaching practicum.
Read Also: Certified Nurse Midwife Scope Of Practice
S To Becoming A Nurse Educator
If more earning potential, stable job security, and helping others advance their knowledge in nursing sounds like the ideal combination for your professional aspirations, then the next logical question is, “What does it take to become a nurse educator?”
There are four steps involved in working towards a future nurse educator role:
What Does A Nurse Educator Do
Nurse educators in academia are responsible for:
- Developing lesson plans
- Serving as a mentor on academic and career issues
- Promoting discussions among students
- Documenting outcomes of educational processes
- Serving on University-based committees
- Engaging in scholarly work
- Speaking at nursing conferences
- Contributing to the academic community via leadership roles
- Maintaining clinical competence
- Writing grant proposals
Recommended Reading: Masters In Nursing Leadership And Administration
Similarities And Differences Between Nurse Educators And Nurse Administrators
Even though these two occupations have different work settings, both nurse educators and nurse administrators can act as mentors to others. Nurse educators assist nurses with their advancement of studies and skill development, while nurse administrators can offer real-world advice and guidance to colleagues and employees. As leaders, they also play a critical role in recruiting and developing individuals into the health field.
Nurses interested in bringing their professional expertise to an academic environment and coaching nursing students may lean toward becoming a nurse educator. On the other hand, those interested in more of an organizational perspective in their nursing experience should consider specializing in administration or management. The nurse administrator will work primarily with nursing personnel, as well as patients and medical staff.
Leadership-oriented nurses seeking career advancement should consider obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing specialization at Sacred Heart University. The university offers leadership opportunities through three MSN specializations and provides nursing professionals with the ability to identify career paths and goals based on their skill-set.
Sacred Heart University is a regionally accredited school and has trained top-tier clinicians for over 30 years. Call Sacred Heart University at 877-791-7181.
Image courtesy of imagerymajestic/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Nurse Educator Program Requirements
Though every MSN Nurse Educator degree program is different, most have similar entry requirements, which generally include:
- A minimum of two years of nursing experience
- Satisfactory completion of an accredited baccalaureate program with at least 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Submission of official transcripts from all postsecondary schools attended
- Unencumbered, active RN license in state of practice
- Two or three professional references
- Completion of undergraduate statistics with a grade of C or better
- Professional resume or curriculum vitae
- Successful completion of a personal interview with the Nursing Admissions Committee.
- GRE if applicable
- TOEFL test if applicable
You May Like: Galen School Of Nursing St Petersburg Fl
Work In Public Health
Many public health organizations have recently been in the spotlight, such as the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . International and national organizations like these, along with smaller organizations at the state and local levels, can play critical roles in promoting healthy communities.
A vital aspect of public health is educating the public. The CDC includes informing, educating, and empowering people about health issues as one of the 10 essential public health services. If youre passionate about public health services and have an MSN in nursing education, you can help people in your local community or beyond learn about ways to improve their health and wellbeing.
Working in public health roles may also include advocating for underserved populations or studying health-related issues that are especially pertinent to your particular community. Nurse educators who work in public health may eventually choose to use their unique experience and expertise to teach public health nursing courses.
What Skills Does A Clinical Nurse Educator Need
Clinical nurse educators must possess an in-depth understanding of both nursing operations and best educational practices. As a result, they typically operate with a well-defined skill set, which allows them to make a difference in the lives of patients and nurses.
- Interpersonal communication: The ability to correspond effectively with all nursing staff to convey concepts to be learned and adopted.
- Healthcare expertise: The ability to fulfill all the roles of a nurse, independent from your ability to teach them.
- Engaged teaching: The ability to provide dynamic education to nurses in all positions to enhance the ability of those nurses to fulfill their responsibilities.
- Educational research: The ability to research and implement improved teaching techniques, to improve a nurses ability to retain information once taught.
- Leadership: The ability to serve as a leader in educating nursing staff members, and as an exemplar when demonstrating exactly how newly learned concepts are to be performed.
- Student evaluation: The ability to assess how well nursing staff members are learning information as it is taught.
- Public speaking: The ability to effectively deliver a public address to a group of nurses looking to improve their own skill sets.
These and other skills form the basis for a successful clinical nurse educator, an individual who can both teach and implement nursing best practices to improve patient outlook and quality of life.
Read Also: Becoming A Nurse After 40
Nursing: Your Many Career Pathways
There are different pathways to becoming a nurse. Some nurses start out as certified nursing assistants . Working as a CNA offers you entry-level experience in a healthcare setting. To become certified as a CNA, youll be required to complete some training, but you dont need to start your career in nursing as a nursing assistant. Students new to nursing may also choose to become a Licensed Practical Nurse or Registered Nurse .
LPNs and RNs have unique roles and responsibilities in patient care, with RNs adopting a broader scope of practice. Nurses can begin their career as an LPN, work towards an associate or bachelors degree in nursing, and become an RN. You do not need to become an LPN before RN you can enroll in a nursing degree program without any prior experience as an LPN or CNA.
How Do You Become A Nurse Educator
As our nation faces a critical nursing shortage as the total number of job openings for nurses is expected to surpass the one million mark by 2022, there is no better time than now to take the steps needed to become a nurse educator. One of the leading reasons behind the shortage of experienced registered nurses is the fact that nursing schools across the United States are struggling to hire faculty members to meet the rising demands of healthcare reform. In fact, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that American universities turn away nearly 80,000 qualified nursing students each year simply due to an insufficient number of faculty members. In order to prepare you for fulfilling this dire shortage and shaping the nation’s next generation of professional nurses, below is a step-by-step guide on how to become a nurse educator.
Resource:
Recommended Reading: Geriatric Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Salary
What Skills Do Nurse Administrators Need
Nurse administrators need a robust set of skills to carry out their major job responsibilities. For instance, managerial aptitude will draw on interpersonal skills, while budgeting savvy requires a grasp on health care economics and operational finances. Nurses who want to improve these skills may want to consider earning a DNP. In Bradleys online program, they can gain skill and knowledge through courses like Management in Healthcare Organizations, Health Care Economics and Finance and Advanced Health Informatics.
Nurse Educators Vital Role In The Future Of Nursing
Jun 30, 2017 | Blog, News, Sponsored Post
| Listen to this article. |
The nationwide nursing shortage isnt slowing down anytime soon, as the baby boomer population continues to age and average life expectancy increases, building demand for medical care. Thats not allthe U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts nearly 1.1 million new registered nurses will be needed by 2022 in order to replace 500,000 retirees and fill 100,000 new RN positions each year.
This is good newsand an ideal opportunity to advance your nursing career to become a nurse educator. After all, who is going to train all these new nurses?
Nurse educators play a vital role in ensuring that the next generation of nurses is prepared to meet the growing demand for healthcare services. Nurse educators are also instrumental in shaping the future of the nursing profession, encouraging a focus on holistic patient care and illness prevention, as well as promoting community health. Right now there is a strong need for educators 83 percent of nursing programs sought to hire new faculty in 2015.
Also Check: Nursing Schools In Chesapeake Va
Pass Certification For The Nurse Educators Exam
The capstone to your academic preparation to enter a nurse educator role is to pass the certification exams designed by the National League for Nursing to ensure you meet the high standards expected from professionals in the field.
Students can choose from one of two formats of the exam:
- The CNE Exam is designed for the academic nurse educator who wants to focus on designing and evaluating curricula and learning outcomes in addition to teaching and lecturing.
- The CNE-cl Exam targets the academic clinical nurse educator who wishes to emphasize elements of clinical practice, such as supervised practice, internships, and placements, in addition to teaching and lecturing.
Both versions of the exam are:
- Designed to gauge your knowledge of teaching and learning philosophies, your ability to facilitate learner growth, your curriculum development and learning outcome assessment skills, and how prepared you are to be active in both academic and research settings.
- Comprised of 150 questions in length, though only 130 are graded, with the remaining questions unscored in the process of evaluation for a future exam.
- Allotted three hours to complete.
- Computerized, which means you can receive your score instantaneously following the completion of your exam.
Graduates from Spring Arbors CCNE accredited, online MSN-Ed program are prepared for both the CNE and CNE-cl exam.
What Skills Or Traits Do Successful Clinical Educators Possess
It should come as no surprise that clinical educators need to have a base of experience performing nursing tasks. But beyond knowing the correct way to start a PICC line or dress a wound, personality and other natural traits play an important role in your success. Here are a few qualities that lend themselves well to this position:
- OrganizationClinical educators have a lot of moving parts to keep track of. The career ambitions of staff nurses, whos training who and monitoring which staff members have completed required training programs requires a strong organizational ability.
- Relationship-buildingPart of a clinical educators job is to understand where nurses would like to go in their careers and helping them get there. Being able to connect and relate on a personal level will certainly make this easier.
- ResearchClinical educators need to stay up to date on any changes to healthcare rules and regulations, as well as determine the educational value of training materials and programs.
- MentoringDo you feel your best when youre helping someone improve? In this role, youll guideand cheer onnurses as they get acclimated to their jobs and eventually grow in their careers.
Recommended Reading: Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Programs Ohio
What Else Can You Do With A Masters In Nursing Education
Teaching is the most common career path for those with a nurse educator degree. However, its far from the only option. Some nurse educators start out teaching and eventually transition to more administrative roles, for example, while others may never teach in a classroom or clinical setting. Lets look at some other potential career paths you can pursue with an MSN in nursing education.
Role Specialty Learning Outcomes
In addition to the program learning outcomes, graduates of the Nurse Educator role specialty will be able to:
- Develop curricula based on institutional mission, professional standards, educational theory and research, societal needs, and ongoing nursing program evaluation.
- Design learning environments that provide challenges and opportunities for growth for the learner while ensuring safety, support, and resources for learning.
- Facilitate learning using a variety of teaching strategies based on nursing research, theory, best evidence, teacher expertise, and appropriateness to the learner.
- Utilize formative assessment methods to provide valuable feedback to support learner development and growth.
- Design summative evaluations that are fair and objective to determine achievement of learning outcomes.
- Implement the role of an academic nursing educator, a professional development specialist, or a patient educator in a professional, respectful, and ethical manner.
Don’t Miss: Nursing Schools That Accept Straighterline