Those who can't...teach...your thoughts?

Those sound like excellent skills for an NP, especially the teaching. I am a new nurse and I work in L&D. I never realized how much teaching nursing involves; its definitely a skill I am improving on. ANPs need even more skills with teaching!. I use to work for an FNP who believed highly in educating his patients. Its one of the things that made his patients loyal.

I'm thinking on going back after the MSN to get a post masters FNP, just to leave my options in a better situation. Anyone have any thoughts on that?

You need to stay at hospital to precept new GNs!!!

I do that now....and yes, I get great reviews for that too. I never really knew I had it in me!

That is a completely bogus phrase. Teaching, like nursing, is a skill and a profession in its own right.

Two of the best professors I have ever had were in Psychology and Chemistry. Either of these two people either could have been or already were quite successful in their specialty. They chose to teach because of the satisfaction it gives them and because they are just damn good at it. I remember writing an eval of my Chemistry teacher that said, "Watching her teach is like watching Tiger Woods hit a golf ball." She was that good.

Conversely, I have seen some professors who were probably very good at what they did, but were fairly lousy at helping students assimilate new concepts. New professors often have some growing pains in this area.

Some of my nursing school instructors are great in lab and clinical settings, but are poor theory lecturers. One of these days, I am going to sit through one too many professors reading directly off a powerpoint in front of class and snap: "HEY LADY!!! I CAN FREAKING READ!! I NEED YOU TO TEACH, NOT READ TO ME!!"

I find myself doing quite a bit of tutoring because a professor so badly mangled their presentation of the material.

The version I heard went like so:

Those who can't do...manage...those who can't manage...teach...those who can't teach...instruct phys ed classes…

In all seriousness it is probably just as much (or more?) about passion as it is ability. We go were our passions take us (hopefully). Often, people decide that it is time for change and look for something new. Teaching is an important skill. We don't all have it. I have seen some excellent providers who had students dumped on them. Turns out being clinically skillful does not ensure being able get the notion across to others. Again, often an issue of desire.
Just a thought.

Ivan

Almost all nurses make good teachers to some extent - we are teaching all the time, to everyone around us. Meds, procedures, disease processes. Formal, and informal. The best teachers incite a flame in the student, a desire to learn even more, and hopefully, to pass it on.
That being said, I agree with DannyC12. Do not read to me in a classroom setting. If you assigned reading to me, and I have done it, I want to know more.

I think it is the exception to find a teacher that wouldn't have been a good floor nurse at some point. When I was in school most of my teachers were people I looked up to and respected a great deal. I remember frustrations with certain teachers and thinking at the time that they were probably terrible nurses. But looking back, I realize that it was me that wasn't really up to par, not them.

I agree in part and disagree in part. There are people who teach that I suspect probably made (make) wonderful nurses. I think I have had some especially good clinical nursing instructors and the occasional classroom instructor that was really amazing.

There are more people who clearly left bedside nursing for a reason. Listening to their stories and reading their resumes, its clear that they are similar to unsuccessful professionals in other settings. They bounce around from area to area trying different things without success. (Listen to their tone of voice to tell the difference between them and people who have had exciting diverse career opportunities.) They simply don't seem to fit in anywhere so they decide to go to teaching. And yeah, they suck at that too!

Originally Posted by lovebugstudentnurse

There are more people who clearly left bedside nursing for a reason. Listening to their stories and reading their resumes, its clear that they are similar to unsuccessful professionals in other settings. They bounce around from area to area trying different things without success. (Listen to their tone of voice to tell the difference between them and people who have had exciting diverse career opportunities.) They simply don't seem to fit in anywhere so they decide to go to teaching. And yeah, they suck at that too!

I have to completely disagree with what you are saying. First of all, define "unsuccessful". The term is fairly subjective. You definition might be completely different from someone else’s. Getting to a point in your career where there is no personal satisfaction and/or growth is not the same thing as unsuccessful. When you say "more" you seem to mean "most". How do you back that up? Are you saying that "most" RNs that have moved on to become instructors were somehow unsuccessful? I feel that is a gross generalization that in no way bears close scrutiny.