Becoming a Nurse Educator
Nurse Educators are generally licensed registered nurses having higher education at the master’s degree level and above. Besides teaching nursing curriculum in schools and colleges of nursing, they also work in medical and public settings. They supervise nursing students and educate common people as well as the health professionals about various nursing issues and problems.
Nurse Educators are employed at medical colleges, universities, healthcare facilities, research labs etc. They provide hands-on training to the nursing students in addition to developing and setting up curriculum that meets their demands. They develop plans, teach courses, evaluate educational programs and oversee students performance during practice sessions.
Education Requirements:
- Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree: The Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing is the entry-level education for the aspiring Nurse Educators. The coursework may include physics, chemistry, biology apart from training at healthcare facilities.
- Master’s Degree: To advance their career further, the aspiring Nurse Educators may go for Master’s Degree in Nursing and beyond. They must have 2-5 years of clinical experience. Most universities require doctorate as the minimum qualification for Nurse Educators. So, a doctorate after obtaining the master’s degree is something the Nurse Educators can consider.
- Skill Set: Apart from holding academic degrees, the Nurse Educators must have fluent communication skills and the abilities to create rapport with students and other people at work place.
Salary & Job Outlook: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Nurse Educator profession will have a growth rate of 19% during the period of 2012-2022. The average annual salary of Nurse Educators was $70,200 in May 2013.