Teaching Nursing
All nurses, during their career, act as teachers in some capacity. One of the largest components of nursing is educating patients and family members about things they can do to maintain and improve their health. Nurses that choose to go into the field of nursing education are responsible for educating nurses who in turn educate patients and the public at large. Nursing educators must possess the ability to relate didactic as well as clinical skills to new and inexperienced nurses.
A bachelor's degree in nursing is the entry-level degree to have to teach in a diploma nursing program or an associate's degree program. Generally, at least a master's degree in nursing or more often a doctoral degree in nursing is needed to teach in a four-year nursing program. A strong clinical background and excellent understanding of anatomy, physiology, and disease processes are all necessary for a nursing instructor. A nursing instructor also needs to keep up with the rapidly changing fields of medicine; new tests and new treatments are developed every year and it is necessary for students and the patients they are treating to be current in their knowledge. Research is a necessary component of a nurse educator role. Supervising new nurses to care for patients in a safe and responsible manner is perhaps the most important role a nurse educator plays.
Another important aspect of nursing education is that the nurse educator also acts in the role of advisor to tomorrow's nurses. He or she is usually the person giving advice on careers and current trends and issues in nursing. As nursing has changed, so has the education of nurses. It is good for instructors to be adaptable. Nurses need to know more now than ever before to enter into a job as a staff nurse; it is the responsibility of nurse educators to impart the necessary education to these new nurses in order to have them be successful in their future careers. A good nursing instructor should relate to her students the importance of continuing education as well as the need for patient safety above all else.
As the field of nursing expands, the need for qualified nursing instructors will grow. More people will need to be trained to be nurses and more schools will expand existing nursing programs and create new schools of nursing. Nursing educators face many challenges in teaching registered nurses. Nursing is a second career for many people; the age ranges in a nursing classroom might vary from students just graduating from high school to students who are returning to school later in life. Students' medical backgrounds are often varied. Many students have experience working in hospitals as certified nurse's aides or even paramedics and have a good understanding of basic nursing practices. Other students have never set foot inside a hospital. These differences in student ability and background can present challenges to the instructor.
The median salary for a nursing instructor is approximately $72,000 a year, but this is, of course, dependent on the size of the institution in which the instructor works, the number of courses he or she teaches, and if she is a tenured employee. The benefits for nursing instructors, especially those who choose to teach at larger institutions, are usually excellent. Nursing instructors usually work Monday through Friday and have vacations according to the college or institution where they work.
Nursing instructors are an important part of the future of nursing. Without excellent seasoned nurse educators, the future of nursing and patient satisfaction would indeed be dismal. Nurse educators that place emphasis on research and continuing education are necessary for training the nurses of tomorrow.
Published: 2009-11-03
