Nurse Educator
Nurse educators combine clinical experience and a passion for
teaching into rich and rewarding careers. These are nurses who teach in
classrooms as well as in the hospital setting and guide students through
the learning process.
They are responsible for teaching future generations of nurses and have an important role in strengthening the nursing workforce. They serve as role models and provide leadership to ensure that nurse practice is based on science.
Nurse educators are often prepared at the master's or doctoral level and practice as faculty in colleges, universities, hospital-based schools of nursing, and technical schools. They work with recent high school graduates studying nursing for the first time as well as with nurses pursuing advanced degrees.
Nurse educators often express a high degree of satisfaction with their work. They state that interactions with students, as well as watching future nurses gain confidence and skill, are the most rewarding aspects of their jobs. Other benefits of careers in nursing education include access to cutting-edge knowledge and research, opportunities to collaborate with health professionals, an intellectually stimulating workplace, and flexible work scheduling.
Given the growing shortage of nurse educators, the career outlook is strong for nurses interested in teaching careers. Nursing schools nationwide are struggling to find new faculty to accommodate the rising interest in nursing among new students. The shortage of nurse educators may actually enhance career prospects since it affords a high level of job security and provides opportunities for nurses to maintain dual roles as educators and direct patient care providers.
Source: www.nursesource.org