Are You Thinking of Becoming a Nurse Educator?

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As a child, I learned how to kayak on the Lower Youghiogheny River in Southwestern Pennsylvania. In looking back at my lessons learned in kayaking, I can compare many of these lessons to that of becoming a nurse educator or nurse faculty member. If you are considering a full-time teaching position in nursing, read below for some insights, warnings, and positive outcomes.

When I first wanted to kayak, I was only 13 and very small like 5ft 4inches and maybe 80 lbs. Scrawny is the term that comes to mind. With the scrawny body came a very determined soul. Likewise, when I considered becoming a full-time nurse educator, I had no experience and very little education concerning education. In both situations, scrawny with huge determination fits well.

Lesson 1

Two things came from lesson 1 of kayaking. First was, if you can't tote it, you can't boat it. As a scrawny 80 lb girl, I had to find a way to lift a plastic, ten foot kayak that weighed more than me. I was astonished at the instructor's insistence. Needless to say, I allowed my determination to carry it for me. I pulled on one end and got it to the water. After the lesson, another student and I shared the carrying of both kayaks. It does pay to be friendly...

As a nurse educator, I also remember that first orientation day. The chairperson of the department who was giving all of the newbies an orientation lecture, looked at me. She asked if I had chosen a book for my class? A book? Class starts in three days; you all haven't chosen a book yet? I was dumb struck... Remember if you can't tote it, you can't boat it? As a faculty member, you are responsible for choosing the book, creating the classroom lectures, creating the syllabus ... you are responsible and must carry the load. No one is going to carry the load for you. Although, you may get someone who is in a similar situation or was in a similar situation to assist you with carrying the boat or load as the case maybe... you are responsible.

The second thing from lesson one was learning to wet exit. To paddle a kayak, one must know how to get out of the kayak if one flips over. I, who did not like my face under water, was in a panic. What? Purposefully flip the kayak over and get out? What? Again, my instructor insisted. So my determination kicked in. It was mind over matter, if I didn't mind it didn't matter. My instructor flipped the boat and I did a successful wet exit. His words were, 'See that wasn't so bad ... oh maybe it was'.

During the first orientation day, the faculty talking to us started to discuss exams. All of us would need to create our own exams and write our questions. I was not worried; I was teaching clinical. There are no exams in clinical... For clinical, many groups did shared test writing and exam giving ... Stop the boat -clinical course exams- did I hear correctly? Why would one need clinical exams, we just take the kids to the hospital right? Nope. Face full of water all over again. I would need to create my own exams for my clinical course because at this school the clinical portion was its own course. Oh man.... I bet my face looked much like it did after that first we exit.

Lesson 2

The next lesson for kayaking was learned rather quickly. When you paddle on a river with current which we did, you have to be careful to not lean upstream. If you lean upstream, the upper edge of the kayak will catch and you will flip over. Something I wanted to avoid....

In nursing education this lesson is applicable too. Teaching in nursing can be full of surprises and wrong turns. The new educator must find the right balance to sharing information, assisting others, asking for help, performing service, etc.... if you do too little, you lean upstream and are washed out of the job. No one wants an educator that cannot perform. If you do too much, you become overburdened and tired. This may cause you to lean upstream and wash yourself out of the job. It is difficult to find just the right balance.

Lesson 3

Lesson 3 flows from lesson two. The kayaker whether beginning or experienced should always paddle or boat with a buddy. One never knows what may happen on any given day. Mother Nature governs rivers and creeks. No amusement park rules or codes just natural occurrences.

Being a nurse faculty member requires a buddy as well. No one person can ever know everything. If a nurse educator tries to remain in isolation, he or she may well end up stuck on a rock or in a hole with no one to assist. As much as an educator must carry his or her own load, the educator must also have a buddy or two to assist with understanding of potential pitfalls or assist with items too heavy to carry alone like research. A good buddy system can assist all who participate. A valuable life lesson no matter your circumstance.

Lesson 4

When boating, one must always be aware of his or her surroundings, scout unknown rapids, and watch out for wildlife. Remember, the river or lake you are in is nature. In nature, the river can flow in many directions. Rocks can appear out of nowhere. Copperhead snakes like the warm river rocks in the summer and may be sunning themselves on the rock you choose to step on. The water snakes can swim in the river and go from side to side. These snakes may just decide to swim across your bow. These are all an expected and acceptable part of nature. Paddlers need to accept this.

Nurse faculty members must also watch out for the natural environment in the university or college setting. The environment may be filled with snakes or other unwanted adversaries in good and bad weather. Spotting the snake or natural occurrence with surveillance and awareness of the surroundings is important to the faculty member's success. Sometimes it may take being bitten before understanding how to negotiate the environment.

Lesson 5

Now some of the previous lessons make kayaking and nursing education sound bad and undesirable. This lesson will change that perception. Learning to kayak and kayaking afterwards can be dangerous and difficult. The boat can be heavy; nature can be unforgiving but....

One summer after learning to paddle, I had Friday mornings free. I found myself a paddling buddy. Every Friday we would get up early and go paddling. We would put on the river about 5:30 or 6:00am. The sun was just coming up; the morning mist was rising from the river. The river was free of other boaters. This was a glorious time to paddle and play on the river; we had the river to ourselves. When I need to relax and remember a better time in life, I think of this summer and these glorious mornings.

In nursing education, it is much the same. There is a lot of hard, lonely work. Hours spent creating lectures and exams, hours spent planning for conference rooms and setting up orientation, hours spent doing research, writing morificecripts, and presenting at conferences. At times, I wonder why I bother because of the large amount of under appreciated work that is required.

So where are my early morning sunrise and the mist coming off of the river? The educator's sunrise is seeing a student finally understand the material. Or a student, whom you have mentored through the nursing program, call you when they pass the licensure exam. Or when a student just stops by or calls to say, 'Thank you for believing in me' or 'Thank you for all of your efforts'. The mist rises when a former student seeks your advice about graduate school or says, 'You inspired me to be a better nurse' or 'You inspired me to become an educator'. These times when students understand and are successful make the job worth the effort required. The students are my reason to teach; the students are my sunrise and mist.

As you have read my analogies of kayaking and teaching, I hope you have smiled, laughed, and contemplated. Although both kayaking and teaching can be difficult and full of surprises, both are worth the effort.