Master’s in Nursing Education – What you need to know
There are many ways to make a positive impact on the nursing profession. Some nurses devote themselves to clinical work, drawn to direct patient interactions. Others may prefer to have a more behind-the-scenes role, focusing less on direct patient care and more on nurturing the next generation of nursing professionals. If you’re in the second group, you may be a good candidate to become a nurse educator.
An online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with an emphasis on nursing education can prepare you for success in nurse education. Read on to learn more about what you can do with a master's in nursing education, how to become a nurse educator, what nurse educator responsibilities are and more.
What Is a Nurse Educator?
Becoming a nurse educator is the main goal for graduates of a nursing education program. Nurse educators are registered nurses who hold an advanced degree and have completed advanced clinical training. They are the professionals tasked with training and mentoring nursing students from different professional and clinical backgrounds.
What Qualities Make a Good Nurse Educator?
Before embarking toward your career as a nurse educator, the first step would be considering what qualities are best highlighted in the role. Below are a few examples:
- A passion for nursing - It’s important for nurse educators to receive a sense of satisfaction from their careers. The best educators are strong advocates of excellent patient care. Each class of nurses requires educators who are also role models.
- Patience - Patience is a virtue and another key trait of a great nurse educator. Not everyone grasps concepts on the first round of explanation, and not everyone possesses the same learning style. Educators must be aware of this and be able to tailor their teaching to different learning styles.
- Empathy - In line with patience, a good nurse educator has a strong sense of empathy. Empathy is critical in the nursing field. Nurses must be able to place themselves in their patients’ shoes. Nurse educators must be able to do this as well as place themselves in their students’ shoes.
- A sense of humor - Nurse education can be quite stressful at times, and it is necessary to be able to kick off your shoes at the end of the day and have a good laugh. Demonstrating a good sense of humor as an educator helps students and patients feel more at ease. It also helps students to develop their own coping strategies which will benefit them throughout their careers and help to relieve stress, prevent burnout and increase job satisfaction.
Where Do Nurse Educators Work?
When employed in a hospital, educators may be responsible for teaching patients and other health professionals. Nurse educators may also teach in academic settings, clinical settings or a combination of both. They are employed by various organizations including colleges and universities, hospital-based schools of nursing, technical colleges, hospitals and online nursing programs.
Nurse Educator Career Opportunities
Employment opportunities for nurse educators are diverse and can range from adjunct (part-time) clinical faculty to dean of a college of nursing. With increased experience, nurse educators may advance to management positions, develop continuing education programs for working nurses or write textbooks. Additionally, the increase in accredited online nursing programs has provided more opportunities for educators to pursue remote teaching jobs.
Nurse Educator Responsibilities
Now that we’ve reviewed where you can find nurse educators, you may be wondering: what exactly are a nurse educator’s responsibilities? The duties assigned to nurse educators depend on the setting in which they work and what education level they are teaching.
In an Academic Setting
Those who work in an academic setting may be responsible for:
- Designing and implementing course curriculum incorporating evidence-based practice
- Utilizing learning platforms that engage the learners
- Assessing learning by preparing, assigning, administering and scoring assessments
- Documenting the outcomes of the educational process
- Providing instructional feedback and recommendations for improvement
- Coaching, mentoring and advising students
- Remaining current with new trends and developments in the field of expertise
- Attending educational workshops
- Engaging in scholarly work (e.g., research) and/or writing grant proposals
- Presenting at nursing conferences
- Participating in professional associations
In a Hospital Setting
Nurse educators employed in a hospital setting working directly with students may be responsible for:
- Developing and implementing course curriculum to ensure proper skills are being taught
- Leading clinicals and working hands-on with students to impart practical knowledge
- Designing learning experiences that will continually strengthen skills
- Monitoring and testing students’ progress to gauge their development
- Serving as a professional role model to aid students’ transition into the field of nursing
- Staying abreast of the latest trends by reading trade journals and attending seminars
Nurse educators working directly with hospital staff and/or patients may be responsible for:
- Participating in the orientation of new employees
- Providing support, education, guidance and assistance to the patient care team
- Evaluating the skills and competency of nursing staff
- Utilizing evidence-based approaches and frameworks to develop educational programs
- Implementing and evaluating educational programs for nursing staff
- Promoting ongoing professional development
- Supporting quality assessment and improvement initiatives and processes
- Assessing a patient’s current knowledge and providing education about their diagnosis
- Developing an individualized plan of care and documenting patient progress
Salary and Career Outlook
Currently, nurse educators are in high demand. Despite the nursing shortage, nursing programs nationwide have limited student capacity. This is due in great part to an insufficient number of faculty and clinical preceptors. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the national vacancy rate for nurse faculty is 7.2 percent, and over 80,400 qualified students were turned away from nursing programs during the 2019-2020 school year.
This shortage of nurse educators can work to your benefit. It’s a great time for current nurses to pursue a graduate degree and decide what to do with an MSN in nursing education, such as transitioning to an academic role. You can expect to see increased salary for nurse educators with an MSN, improved job prospects and job security.
With the demand for nursing increasing, so to have nurse educator salaries. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the mean annual wage for postsecondary nursing instructors, teachers and educators was $86,530 in 2023, with the highest tenth percentile earning $130,320. While the most in-demand nurse educators hold a Ph.D., MSN-prepared nurses are qualified to teach and lead clinical classes. If you want to work in research or teach master’s degree students, your master’s degree can serve as a stepping-stone to a Ph.D.
The Demand for Nurse Educators
As the U.S. population continues to age, particularly the large Baby Boomer generation, the nation’s healthcare needs continue to increase. Current projections indicate that the supply of nurses won’t be enough to meet the expanding demand for nursing and healthcare services, placing the nation in a critical nursing shortage.
The BLS projects that between 2020 and 2030, over 276,800 new jobs will open for nurses. Two primary factors fueling this employment rise are the increasing demand for health care and nurses leaving the profession or retiring. This projection reflects the urgent need to build up the nation’s nursing workforce.
The shortage of nurses is exacerbated by the shortage of nurse educators. More nursing faculty are needed to educate more nurses and meet the demand of the healthcare industry. Among the primary reasons for the shortage of nurse educators is the challenge of finding faculty for nursing schools and the difficulty of locating sufficient clinical locations to train students.
Embarking on the Nursing Education Journey
Earning an online Master’s in Nursing Education is the first step toward a meaningful, influential career as a nurse educator. Spring Arbor University’s online Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Educator program prepares nurses to effectively teach their students both in the classroom and out, leaving our graduate nurse educators well-prepared to take the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) — the National League for Nursing (NLN) certification for educators.
SAU’s advisors and personal student success coaches work with you through each step of the program to ensure that your needs are being met.
A Closer Look at SAU
The nurse educator program at Spring Arbor University offers a unique approach to advanced nursing practice through direct care application and integrated concepts from nursing and education.
At Spring Arbor University, we provide a strong foundation in nursing and education theory, clinical application in the three Ps (physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology), and a uniquely structured nurse educator internship that allows you to put your educator skills to work in both clinical and academic settings. During your internship, you have an opportunity to advance clinical skills with guidance from a master’s-prepared nurse and apply effective teaching strategies in traditional and online academic settings.
Students also participate in learning experiences that draw from current practice while applying new insight. They develop skills through preceptorship, projects and discussions within SAU classrooms. Online students advance nursing practice through the development of an evidence-based practice project proposal that relates concepts learned throughout the program.
Nursing graduates of the SAU program are well-prepared to advance nursing practice as staff, patient or nursing student educators. Once degree requirements are completed, graduates are eligible to sit for the NLN Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) exam.
Explore What You Can Do with a Master’s in Nursing Education
Now that you know what you can do with a master’s in nursing education, it is time to decide if this career path is the right choice for you. An online MSN nurse educator program is a great choice for those who wish to work in the field of nursing and feel they are suited to be a teacher.
The best nurse educators possess exceptional theoretical and clinical knowledge as well as superb leadership and communication skills. If this sounds like you, now is the time to pursue advanced education.
SAU’s online MSN Nurse Educator program can prepare students for success in nursing education. With a balanced learning format that allows professionals to continue working alongside their studies, students can learn the principles of nursing education, develop their teaching skills and become competent, confident nursing leaders.
Recommended Readings:
Top 15 Nursing Trends to Watch in 2022
Self-care for Nurses: How to Prioritize Yourself When Caring for Others
How to Thrive as a Christian Nurse
Sources:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Nursing Faculty Shortage
Indeed, Nurse Educator Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications
National League for Nursing, Certification of Nurse Educators
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
