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Nursing Educators/Instructors (Post-Secondary)
Do you wish to pursue a career in the medical field, particularly Nursing?  Do you love to learn?  Are you a leader who leads by example and excels at multi-tasking?  If so and if you genuinely love people, enjoy doing research, and have a natural inclination for tutoring, mentoring, and teaching, then you may be the next great and sorely-needed Nursing Educator.

Nursing Educators (Nursing Instructors) design curricula, develop courses, and mentor, advise, and teach students, demonstrating and teaching patient care in academic (classrooms) and hospital (clinical units) settings.  They also speak at Nursing conferences, perform clinical research, and evaluate Nurse training programs.  Some Nursing Educators primarily engage in teaching, while others do a combination of teaching and research.  Great analytical, communication, and project-management skills are essential traits in this profession.    

The duties of a Nursing Instructor include but are not limited to:  developing course curricula to meet college and department standards; selecting materials and supplies (textbooks and clinical/laboratory equipment); preparing course materials (lesson plans, syllabi, assignments, and handouts); initiating, facilitating, and moderating classroom discussions; presenting hands-on demonstrations in hospitals' clinical units; advising and assisting students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues and assessing their progress; supervising students' laboratory and clinical work; supervising graduate students/teaching assistants; collaborating with colleagues to address teaching and research issues; serving on academic and administrative committees; participating in professional conferences and in campus and community events; staying informed of innovations in Nursing; conducting research and experiments to advance knowledge in Nursing; coordinating training programs with area universities, clinics, hospitals, health agencies, and vocational schools; and applying for grants to fund their research.

High school students interested in ultimately becoming a Nursing Educator benefit from taking Algebra, Biology/Anatomy, Nutrition, Physical Science, and Chemistry.  Students entering Master's of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs after completing a Bachelor's of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) should expect a period of 2 years to complete said program.​  MSN programs are comprised of courses in Nursing, Nursing Education, Curriculum Planning, Theoretical Models in Nursing, and Nursing Research, as well as clinicals.  A BSN is a prerequisite for admission into graduate Nursing Education programs.

High school students who are strongly considering becoming Nursing Educators should likewise consider completing both the 4-month Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program and the 1-year Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program prior to graduating high school.  This allows the student to gain valuable CNA experience by working part-time on weekends while enrolled full-time in the LPN program and allows the student to gain valuable LPN experience by working part-time on weekends while enrolled full-time in the BSN program to help pay for tuition, books, supplies, uniforms, and required clinical equipment.  But most importantly, it allows the future Nursing Educator to get work experience at all levels of nursing, gaining a full understanding of the separation of duties and requirements of each level (CNA, LPN, RN), where duties overlap, how to effectively manage and lead those at each, and the expectations of and the relationships between each level.  Ultimately, having worked at each level makes for better, more empathetic and supportive leadership, and it also lends the Nursing Educator the mastery to effectively teach at each level.

Many qualified Nurses are reaching retirement age, and the need to replace them will put pressure on Nursing programs.  While there is a great shortage of Nurses nationwide, there is an even greater shortage of Nursing Educators.  There is a great need for qualified instructors and teachers to train future generations of these indispensable caregivers.   Faculty retirements will escalate as the "baby boomers" age.  In 2001, 60% of the 410 baccalaureate Nursing programs denied admission to students (totaling 35% of qualified candidates) due to insufficient Nursing faculty.

Because the US is experiencing a serious Nursing shortage, the demand for qualified Nursing Educators is extremely high.  Students aspiring to be Nurses should strongly consider a career in Nursing Education, for the demand is as strong as it has ever been.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $63,900

Salary Range:  ~$39,580 - $103,380+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
​The normal routes to becoming a Nursing Educator have been to attain an advanced Nursing degree by completing a Master's of Science in Nursing program (MSN) with an Advanced Nurse Educators (ANE) concentration, a Doctorate of Nursing Science (DSN), or a Ph.D in Nursing.  The Post-Master's Certificate is designed to prepare MSN graduates for advanced practice in Advanced Nurse Educator roles.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
Colleges and universities that have Master's of Science Nursing (MSN-Education) programs are:  Winston Salem State University (Winston-Salem, North Carolina); Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland); Albany State University (Albany, Georgia); Grambling State University (Grambling, Louisiana); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); Tennessee State University (Nashville, Tennessee); Alcorn State University (Lorman, Mississippi); Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); and Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida).
Available Scholarships
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