Hospital-Based Nurse Educator
My initial goal was to become an educator in the university setting. During graduate school, I taught a clinical rotation with a group of six students as part of my scholarship requirements. I also assisted with labs and some lectures.
During our graduation celebration dinner, the dean of our department reminded us that the next step was to obtain a doctoral degree if we wanted to become professors. I quickly realized I would have to become creative until I was able to obtain a doctoral degree.
I maintained a per diem status in my bedside role and took the opportunity to become was formerly called a clinical educator in a hospital. I had unit-specific and centralized education responsibilities. Eventually, I became a hospital-based educator full-time. Below are some key points to consider when deciding to be a nurse educator in the hospital setting.
Education Requirements
Different institutions call their nurse educators by varying titles, including clinical nurse educator, nurse educator, staff development practitioner, and staff development specialist.
In recent years, several hospitals have modified their job specifications and titles to align with the Nursing Professional Development Scope and Standards of Practice. Therefore, you may see titles such as Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Practitioner or Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPD specialist/NPDS). NPD practitioners need a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing. NPD specialists must hold at least a graduate degree in nursing, as well as certification in Nursing Professional Development (NPD-BC). The certification is offered through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
What Does a Hospital-Based Nurse Educator Do?
Through the guidance of the NPD Scope and Standards of Practice, the six key responsibilities of an NPD practitioner or specialist are:
- Orientation and onboarding,
- Competency management,
- Education,
- Role development,
- Collaborative partnerships, and
- Inquiry.
Educators in the hospital setting can be unit-based or systemwide. In my first role, I was assigned to two units: postoperative orthopedic and telemetry. I was responsible for onboarding, remediation, and education on anything involving policy/practice changes and new equipment. I led unit-based education committees, facilitated skills fairs, and created educational resources.
I collaborated with the nurse managers to assess learning needs for the unit. There were frequent check-ins with new and seasoned employees. I also assisted with centralized onboarding classes outside of my assigned units.
In my current role as a systemwide NPD specialist, I facilitate nursing education that affects all areas of the organization. In a hospital-based setting, you will also have the opportunity to develop multidisciplinary relationships that help bolster continuing education programs, lead evidence-based initiatives, and partner in policy revision.
Hospital-based educator roles are very versatile, as policies and practices can change by the minute. Some NPD specialists support nurses in effectively educating patients and their families. Others may facilitate initiatives that focus more on career development and certification rather than physical skills and competencies. There are also cases where NPD specialists are affiliated with a hospital system but focus on home health or ambulatory/outpatient settings.
Pay
Pay varies based on the institution. Some pay hourly while others offer a fixed salary. Due to varying shifts of the nurses, there will be times when education has to occur off-shift. Hourly pay would include shift differential. Salary pay would not. Compensation typically increases with merit and market reviews. NPD certification will also result in a salary increase.
Academic Nurse Educator
Education Requirements
In some states, nurses can become adjunct clinical instructors with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). However, in most states, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is strongly preferred. At this level, educators can become adjunct clinical instructors, lab instructors, or full-time lecturers.
To obtain professor status, a doctoral degree is required. Historically, this has been either a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. In recent years, this has expanded to include degrees such as Doctor of Nursing Education (DNE) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) with a nursing education focus. The offerings vary depending on the academic institution.
Pay
The pay for hospital-based educators varies depending on the institution. BSN- and MSN-prepared nurse educators in academia typically earn significantly less than educators in a hospital-based setting. Obtaining a doctoral degree can move an educator toward a pay increase and tenure.
Why Would I Want to Be an Educator in Academia?
Being an educator is much more than teaching and curriculum development. The National League for Nursing (NLN) developed Core Competencies for Academic Nurse Educators.
These competencies are divided into three categories:
- Academic nurse educators
- Academic clinical nurse educator, and
- Novice academic nurse educator.
The novice and experienced academic nurse educator share the same core competencies:
- Facilitate learning,
- Facilitate learner development and socialization,
- Use assessment and evaluation strategies,
- Participate in curriculum design and evaluation of program outcomes,
- Function as a change agent and leader,
- Pursue continuous quality improvement in the nurse educator role,
- Engage in scholarship, and
- Function within the education environment.
While the core competencies are the same, the task statements for each are modified to the level of expectation for a novice nurse educator. A novice nurse educator has less than two years of experience.
The academic clinical nurse educator has similar core competencies, with the addition of demonstrating effective interpersonal communication and collaborative interprofessional relationships. In addition to learning nursing tasks, nursing students will need to learn the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration for the best patient outcomes. The academic clinical nurse educator models this communication and collaboration when teaching.
When I decided to obtain a master’s degree in nursing education, I started with a goal of teaching at a university. My experiences made me want to be an educator who considered the full picture. I had a desire to nurture an environment where students felt heard. I wanted to foster a culture where educators looked past poor exams and investigated the root of unsuccessful journeys in nursing school.
James Baker stated, “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” I wanted to be part of the process preparing nursing students, not only for the NCLEX, but for their future career. There’s versatility in the roles in academic education. You may lecture in-person or virtually. You may be teaching in a simulation lab or an actual hospital unit.
Another reason I wanted to teach in an academic setting is that I knew that engaging in scholarship was a major component of the role. Some nurses fear that leaving the bedside will keep them far removed from the latest practice. I believe the requirement to engage in scholarship keeps everything fresh and current.
