A Comparison BSN versus ADN Faculty Role

The ability to shape and mold future nurses – and thereby indirectly impact countless patients’ lives “downstream” – is what makes a nursing faculty career so rewarding. Educating the next generation of nurses is an awesome responsibility that should never be taken lightly. Indispensable qualities that one needs to be credible and successful in the nurse educator role include empathy, genuineness, enthusiasm, expertise, strong student advocacy skills, a lifelong commitment to learning, and a never-ending quest for excellence. As a clinical instructor, it is my ambition to create effective, nurturing learning environments for my students.

I have had the privilege of teaching in both associate-degree and baccalaureate nursing program settings, which affords me a unique perspective. Both positions have contributed to my professional growth and expertise.

I served in a fulltime associate-degree nursing (ADN) faculty position for four years, in the dual roles of classroom and clinical instructor. I remember the ADN program as being rough, tough, and militaristic. Some of the decisions handed down against students were indisputably harsh, although the instructors genuinely cared for the students. The faculty believed that they were ultimately protecting the public by “weeding out” the weaker students. An emphasis on retention, therefore, was not begun in earnest until the third semester, out of the five semester program. During the first and second semesters, we often lost one-fourth to one-third of the original class enrollment. The students tended to be in their thirties and forties and second career, with families. The pressure on faculty was phenomenal and the workload all-consuming. Each instructor had to wear many hats, be able to conduct clinicals in multiple areas or facilities, and be ready "on a dime" to teach a multitude of content material in the classroom.

I have been a clinical instructor with a university-based baccalaureate nursing program now for one year. The BSN program strives to be student-friendly, with a kinder and gentler approach, which is more in line with my personal philosophy of student advocacy. The students we serve are for the most part very young (in their early twenties) and may lack life experiences. Retention is emphasized from day one, as these students have already vested two full years (their freshman and sophomore years) before getting into the nursing program (which consists of their junior and senior years). There is so much more support available for the students, such as a full time guidance counselor exclusively dedicated to the School of Nursing, a faculty mentoring program for "at risk" students, and nursing and math tutors. I have also noted an increased emphasis on the professional nursing role in the BSN program. The faculty within the School of Nursing are collegial with a team approach, and there are many more opportunities available for nurse educators to specialize within their specific areas of expertise and for personal professional growth. And, the workloads are more equitably distributed, and thus more sustainable. Instructors within the ADN program run the risk of burn out from the continuous, unyielding rigorous demands.

My responsibilities as a clinical instructor in the BSN program include conducting clinicals for three separate groups of students in just one or two nursing units (instead of multiple areas). Additionally, I am serving in a student support and retention role. I also had the opportunity over the summer to teach an online pre-licensure “Issues” course. Overall, I very much prefer teaching nursing on the university level and am very grateful for the many opportunities to serve and to make a difference in my students’ lives in my new nursing faculty role.