Nurse educator careers are on the rise. As the demand for nurses continues apace, the healthcare industry and higher education institutions will require more qualified nurse educators to work with students and prepare them for a rewarding career in nursing. Continue reading to learn more about where nurse educators are needed and how to get started on the road to a career in nursing education today.
What Is A Nurse Educator?
Nurse educators are qualified nursing education professionals who work closely with current and future nurses to prepare and educate them on current nursing practice and clinical skills throughout the nursing scope of practice. Nurse educators work throughout multiple educational mediums and public, private, and non-profit universities, healthcare institutions, and private organizations.
Where Do Nurse Educators Work?
Nurse educator careers are not limited to working in university classrooms. While most nurse educators will end up working in an academic setting, nurse educators are also needed in healthcare institutions and private corporations. Explore some nurse educator careers below:
Higher Education
Among the top nurse educator careers available to graduates is working in higher education. Nurse educators can find a variety of different positions working in higher education, including as full-time faculty if they seek to transition entirely into teaching, as adjunct faculty to teach specific courses while also maintaining other clinical nursing or education opportunities, or as a clinical instructor to teach particular skills within a clinical lab setting.
Nurse educators who work in higher education can also seek additional roles within higher education, including leadership positions within nursing or healthcare divisions of universities, and climb the ladder into other leadership roles in higher education, including dean positions, provost positions, faculty, and program leadership, or even president classes if desired.
Healthcare Institutions
Nurse educator careers in healthcare institutions vary depending on the size and needs of the institution. As the nursing field continues to evolve and grow, currently practicing registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses must remain educated and aware of changes and stay on top of the latest developments. Nurse educators in healthcare settings aid in these efforts by working in staff and workforce development and continuing clinical education positions to advance the field even after nurses graduate from programs.
Certifying Boards & Accreditation Boards
One of the final nurse educator careers available is working for a certifying board and accreditation agencies. For nurses to practice and apply clinical nursing skills and care to patients, they must pass and receive specific certifications. Additionally, accreditation agencies are vital in accrediting nursing programs, overseeing their curriculum and teaching practices, and ensuring that nurses graduate qualified and ready to practice.
Nurse educators who work in these settings ensure that certifying and accreditation standards are met while working with institutions and healthcare institutions to ensure that all nursing practices and curriculum is up to date. Nurse educators in these settings may also teach specific courses or certifications in specialized skill sets or disciplines to healthcare providers or the everyday public.
How To Start A Nurse Educator Career?
If any of these nurse educator careers interest you, you should consider starting a path toward earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Nurse Educator degree. Offered at the graduate level, these programs are available to currently licensed registered nurses who have completed their Bachelor of Science in Nursing and are interested in a career in nursing education. Nurse educator programs are available at the graduate program level for students without a previously earned MSN or as a certificate for those who have already completed an MSN or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.
