How to Become a Nurse Educator – Education, Skills, Experience

Are you a registered nurse? Do you have teaching abilities and an interest in educating others about the nursing profession? There are increasing employment opportunities in nursing, and nurse educators are a key element in the healthcare marketplace. Imagine leading hospital staff to understand new, cutting-edge equipment. Picture teaching new policies, regulations, and improvements to modern healthcare to communities, schools, and more. If any of this sounds familiar, then this is a perfect read for you because it covers everything from a nursing educator’s role to how to step into this profession. In addition, this article will cover the education requirements, career paths, and how to be a credible nursing educator. Read on to learn more about how to become a nurse educator.

Article Navigation: What is a Nurse Educator? | Responsibilities of a Nursing Educator | Education Requirements | Types of Nurse Educators | Step by Step Guide to Becoming a Nurse Educator | Career Information | Professional Organizations | What Makes a Good Nurse Educator? | FAQs | Get Started With an Online Nursing Educator Degree!

What is a Nurse Educator?

Nurse educators go the extra mile familiarizing themselves with the responsibilities and importance of the nursing profession. They then teach others to have the same knowledge and passion. Although most nursing educators work in entry-level positions, many serve hospitals and other medical centers as leading instructors. The increasing demand for nursing educators is a source of motivation for college students to pursue their careers in this domain.

What is a CNE?

Let’s try to understand what a CNE is.

CNE is a short form for a certified nurse educator. In brief, a CNE is a registered nurse with a BSN who receives CNE certification by passing the official exam.

To get a CNE certification, students must pass a three-hour examination consisting of 150 questions. According to the National League for Nursing, certified nurse educators should renew their certificates every five years. To this end, nurses can renew the certificates by retaking the exam or getting renewal credits over five years. The nurses with a bachelor’s degree in hand and a professional experience of two to five years can sit in the CNE exam. However, some countries have made it mandatory for the participants to have a master’s degree in nursing, a post-master’s nurse educator certificate, or a Ph.D. degree in the same discipline.

Next, we’ll discuss what nurse educators do and available jobs.

Responsibilities of a Nursing Educator

Before taking admissions to colleges and universities, the students must be familiar with the core nurse educator role and responsibilities. For this purpose, in-depth research and guidance from mentors can help gather enough knowledge to make a worthy decision. In short, students must understand the skills required and how to stand out in the market.

Nurse Educator Role

Nursing educators’ roles and responsibilities vary depending on their sector. For example, those working in academic settings have different duties than those in hospitals. As far as the academic domain is concerned, nurse educators can be role models for faculty members, students, collaborators, and learning directors.

Junior nurse educators consider experienced nurses as role models for developing a good learning environment and helping them polish their practical skills. Similarly, nurse educators who act as student mentors become role models. Doing this helps students learn more quickly and adapt professional skills firmly in no time.

The individuals working as the director of student learning develop curriculum and encourage the whole staff to maintain a good learning environment. In addition, these professionals collaborate with students and staff. This way, they can ensure that students gain professional, collaborative skills. Hospitals provide nursing educators with opportunities to build strong teams of experienced students. They develop solid and clear communication between the team members to improve the healthcare system.

Nurse Educator Skills & Competencies

The students should research the skills and competencies required to become credible nurse educators before enrolling in any degree program. Professionalism and nursing education are not the only skills you need. You must have excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills. Apart from that, you should be a good team player because the nursing field requires a lot of collaboration to serve the whole community. According to the National League for Nursing, a few top competencies of these professionals are:

• Program design and evaluation
• Learning facilitation and assisting students in polishing their nursing skills
• Serving as role models for both students and new nurse educators
• Operating as leaders in the learning environment
• Using standard procedures to assess the students’ performances in the classroom

Education Requirements

Getting familiar with the education requirements is necessary before you apply for nurse educator programs. Generally, nurse education requirements vary depending on the goals you want to achieve. To begin with, most students earn master’s degrees in nursing and start their careers. On the other hand, many of today’s employers expect applicants with a doctorate to educate other nurses. However, some students register for the nurse educator certification online to become certified nurse educators. Let’s look at the different education levels required to become a successful nursing education professional.

Masters in Nursing Education

A Master of Science in Nursing Education (MSN) helps you teach other nurses by utilizing your nursing experience. This degree focuses on adult learning and uses advanced nursing theories and clinical practice. The students of MSN not only advance their nursing practice but also prepare themselves for educating roles.

Post Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education

The individuals who have successfully earned a Master of Science in Nursing and want to increase their field knowledge further should apply for a post-graduate certificate in nursing education. This certificate opens the doors for nurse educators to serve continuing education or schools of nursing.

Nurse Educator Certification

The students who want to stand out among others set their target to get a nurse educator certification. For this, they have to pass the CNE certification exam.

Nurse Educator Certification Online

The online certification helps participants earn academic credits, thereby getting experience and knowledge in teaching graduate or entry-level nursing education programs. You can search for accredited colleges or universities offering nurse educator certification online.

But can you be a nurse educator without certification? Getting enrolled in certification is not necessary. To become a nurse educator, the students must have a master’s degree in nursing with either a post-master’s nurse educator certificate, coursework in their respective discipline, or a nursing education specialization.

Clinical Nurse Educator Certification

The clinical nurse educator certification is introduced to facilitate nursing students throughout their clinical practices. This certificate evaluates the learners’ performance and ensures the highest possible nursing education standards. It may be taken online or in person, so students have flexible options to do their best.

Types of Nurse Educators

Nursing education is a vast field consisting of many career options to adopt. Qualified nurse educators have plenty of sectors (both public and private) to join to pursue their professional careers. Based on their department, they are divided into different types, and a few common ones are listed below.

Clinical Nurse Educator

A clinical nurse educator serves healthcare setups to educate the students and evaluate their learning process. They are responsible for training students in a way that they can ensure good family, patient, and client care. The students passionate about educating and serving patients will find clinical nursing education a promising career.

Pharmaceutical Nurse Educator

The nursing professionals specializing in the pharmaceutical field are called pharmaceutical nurse educators. They mostly train students on how to conduct clinical trials. Some other responsibilities of pharmaceutical nurse educators include collaborating with clinical researchers and handling drugs as per the given directions.

Diabetes Nurse Educator

A nursing enthusiast who deals specifically with diabetic patients is a diabetes nurse educator. These professionals teach their students how to effectively help diabetic patients understand their conditions and assist them in living with this disease. In addition, guiding the patient’s loved ones and telling them how to take good care of the patient is another significant responsibility of a diabetes nurse educator.

Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming A Nurse Educator

Many college graduates search for “how to become a nurse educator” because of the increasing demand for this career path. It opens the doors for various employment opportunities with a good pay scale and significant job growth. This process does not happen overnight; it takes six to ten years for a college graduate to reach this career. Let’s have a look at the step-by-step process.

Understanding the Role of a Nurse Educator

Before stepping into this nursing education, understanding the job role becomes necessary. Doing this helps you make an informed decision. Selecting the right career path becomes super easy as soon as you clearly understand the nurse educator roles and competencies. The major responsibilities are divided into two stages, i.e., developing curriculum and teaching registered nursing graduates.

Step: 1 – Become an RN

RN is a shorter version of a registered nurse. There are multiple paths to becoming a registered nurse, as listed below.

ADN/ASN Program

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is an associate-level or a college-level degree. The students need two to three years to earn this degree. Many ADN degrees lead to ASN programs. ADN degrees focus on both clinical competencies and the knowledge of healthcare delivery. These programs make students eligible to sit in the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX). This exam further leads to an RN license. Individuals with ADN degrees can work as nursing assistants after getting a license.

ASN stands for Associate of Science in Nursing, which helps students pass the NCLEX-RN exam. The coursework is equivalent to 24 courses or 72 credit hours. The students undergo both classroom-based learning and hands-on experience. ASN degrees have proved to be an excellent tool for building a solid base to pursue higher studies (e.g., bachelor’s and master’s) in nursing education. The most common courses taught in ASN degree programs include; clinical practice, patient health assessment, research literacy, mental health nursing, physiology, pharmacology, and anatomy.

3-Year BSN Program

A three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides students with another credible path to pursue their careers in nursing education. A full-time degree guarantees a promising career if passed with good grades from an accredited institute. The top accrediting bodies are the Higher Learning Commission and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Accelerated BSN Program

The accelerated BSN program is also a full-time (16 months) degree. The students with bachelor’s in nursing are eligible to enroll in this program. Many universities offer both online and on-campus degrees. The students can choose any discipline at their convenience.

MSN Direct Entry

According to the standard nurse education requirements, students must earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing before doing a master’s in the same domain. But, the good news is that the students who haven’t obtained any nursing degree in the past can enroll directly in MSN degrees through direct entry.

LPN to RN

A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can choose two different paths (“LPN to BSN” or ‘LPN to ADN”) to become a registered nurse. LPN-to-ADN is a short program compared to LPN-to-BSN. Both programs reduce the overall time to become an RN, and they’re commonly known as bridge programs.

Paramedic to BSN

Paramedical staff, without a doubt, are one of the most critical assets of the global healthcare departments. But the pay scale of nursing educators is larger than paramedics. However, nursing education has opened the doors for paramedics as well. They can utilize their professional experience and field knowledge to step into BSN. Many colleges and universities offer paramedics-to-BSN degree programs. Don’t forget to benefit from this program if you are a member of a trained paramedics team and have a passion for nursing education.

RN to BSN

This degree program is designed for registered nurses with an associate degree or diploma in nursing. RN to BSN is a perfect route if you are a registered nurse and want to pursue your bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Step: 2 – Gain Experience as a Registered Nurse

Gaining practical work experience as a registered nurse adds extra value to your professional career, and the chances for you to grab highly paid employment opportunities increase simultaneously. The first step is to update your resume because it represents you in any company or organization you apply to. Next, you can look for internship opportunities, volunteer positions for nurse educators, and summer jobs. Mentorship programs also play a key role in gaining professional nursing experience.

Step: 3 – Enroll in a Nursing Education Program

The nursing education programs are specifically introduced to teach nursing students how to become credible nurse educators. Have you just completed your college degree? Want to be a credible nurse educator in the future? All you need is to enroll in the nursing education program. But before you do that, ensure that the college or university you apply to is accredited (either regionally or nationally). Earning a nursing degree from an accredited institution increases your chances of getting jobs in top-rated hospitals or healthcare departments.

Step: 4 -Complete Your Clinicals and Graduate

Clinical is a complete series of supervised interactions of nursing students with the patients. The students interact with the patients within the premises of a local healthcare facility. The full clinical practice consists of approximately 588 supervised hours, and the students must complete them before they graduate.

Step: 5 – Get Certified

Becoming a certified nurse educator increases your credibility and allows you to work anywhere within the country. Getting a certification is not an overnight process because there are many steps. First of all, you must become a registered nurse. The next step involves earning an advanced degree and gaining real-world practical experience. Once done, you can apply for the certification exam. Later, you will have to complete continuing nursing education requirements.

Career Information

Excellent career growth, increasing employment opportunities, and highly paid jobs make the nursing education profession much better than many others. Let’s get into the specifics of what precisely the job market holds.

What Can I Do with a Nursing Education Degree?

Have you completed your graduate degree in nursing education? Perfect! Next, you should focus on what to do with your degree. Nursing education is one of the highest in-demand professions that offer promising careers. Many jobs are available in the market for different specializations.

Nurse Educator Jobs

Different categories of nurse educator jobs (e.g., hourly, part-time, and full-time) are available. The applicants can choose any available options considering their interests and preferences. Many applicants prefer to pursue online opportunities, but on-site jobs are still available.

Online Nurse Educator Jobs

Thousands of online nurse educator jobs are opened every year in healthcare centers and medical hospitals (both private and public). It is a clear indication that this profession is in high demand. The best part of doing online jobs is that you can perform your duties anywhere in the world. There is no need to move from your house to the workplace. Working from home is what many nurse educators like the most about the field.

Pharmaceutical Nurse Educator Jobs

Like other specializations, pharmaceutical nurse educators can pursue hundreds of online and on-site job opportunities yearly. You can apply for the relevant positions through different platforms, including but not limited to LinkedIn and Indeed.

Clinical Nurse Educator Jobs

You can apply for full-time, part-time, and hourly-based clinical nurse educator jobs. Hospitals and other medical centers need hundreds of clinical nurse educators annually across the United States. This is the reason why many nursing students prefer to choose this area of specialization.

Nurse Educator Salary

The salary varies depending on what type of nurse educator you are. For example, the pay scale of a clinical nurse educator will be different from diabetes nurse educator.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the mean annual wage for nursing educators (teachers, instructors, and mentors) is $82,040.

Certified Nurse Educator Salary

On average, the certified nurse educator’s salary starts from $70,000 to $150,000 per year. Not only do they get higher wages, they are also considered the most trustworthy ones compared to non-certified professionals.

Salary for Nurse Educator with MSN

The annual salary for nurse educators with MSN varies between $70,000 and $110,000. This variation is purely based on professional experience and the job location.

Clinical Nurse Educator Salary

The pay scale of one state can be different from the other. According to Indeed, the annual clinical nurse educator salary is between $78,200 and $99,000. This range may vary depending on the job location, nature, and sector you apply to.

Diabetes Nurse Educator Salary

The diabetes nurse educator’s salary ranges between $76,990 and $94,490 per year in the United States. The average annual wage for these professionals becomes equal to $85,590.

Professional Organizations

Many professional nursing organizations provide valuable resources and connections for nursing students and graduates. A few of the most common organizations are listed below.

• National League for Nursing (NLN)
• National Nursing Staff Development Organization (NNSDO)
• Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing
• Nurse Educator
• Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD)
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)

What Makes a Good Nurse Educator?

The United States has thousands of nurse educators working in different departments.  They not only have the clinical knowledge and enough work experience, but other traits (as listed below) matter too.

• Leadership qualities
• Good communication abilities and professionalism
• Engaging and effective teaching methods
• The passion for continuous learning

FAQs

Is it worth it to become a nurse educator?

Absolutely. It is one of the most outstanding professions that promise established careers, a great source of income, and tremendous job growth. For example, as a nurse educator, you can serve the community and earn well simultaneously. The nursing educators who serve hospitals make more than the ones working outside this setting. Most nursing educators prefer to find job opportunities in hospitals and other healthcare centers.

Where do nurse educators make the most money?

Generally, the nursing educators serving the surgical and general medical hospitals make more money than other sectors. The second highest paid nursing educator is in substance abuse and psychiatric hospitals. On the other hand, the state or government bodies (except hospitals and schools) are listed as number three.

What do nursing educators do?

The nursing educators earn advanced nursing degrees to understand this profession’s requirements and policies. The primary nurse educator’s role and responsibilities include; educating registered nurses at different places, including but not limited to colleges and universities. They also train nurses in clinical setups like hospitals and doctors’ offices. Some other responsibilities of a nursing educator are:

• Following ethical and legal teaching methods
• Conducting advanced nursing research studies
• Assisting students during clinical training
• Curriculum development and evaluation
• Keeping certifications and clinical skills up to date

What skills do you need to be a nurse educator?

The most important thing for a nursing educator is to have a sincere passion for nursing. The other skills a nursing educator must have are empathy, patience, strong communication, a sense of humor, leadership, and professionalism. Therefore, if you are looking for on-site or online nurse educator jobs, you should develop these skills to secure a solid position in the market.

How long does it take to become a nurse educator?

On average, it takes six to ten years for a college student to become a nurse educator. However, suppose you already have a bachelor’s degree in nursing and are a licensed nurse. In that case, it will take two years to complete your master’s degree. The students who want to be certified nurses must spend two more years after earning their graduate degrees. If you wish to pursue a doctorate in nursing, the time will increase accordingly.

Get Started With an Online Nursing Educator Degree!

Are you a registered nursing professional? Specifically, do you have a passion for educating other nurses? Do you often search for how to become a nurse educator? If yes, then don’t forget to give the above discussion a read. With this article, you have everything from education, career outlook, job growth, and various career paths to adopt.

Also, if you are having trouble finding the right degree, head to GetEducated.com and check out online nursing educator degrees across the US today!