Nurse Educators, Introduce Yourselves!

Wow! I sure must be teaching at the WRONG place! I am an Assistant Professor and teach both BSN and MSN students. I typically get to my office about 7:30 AM and frequently don't leave until 6 or 6:30 PM. It is not unusual to go to the office on Saturday or Sunday for a few hours. During the fall semester, I have a clinical rotation with BSN students. I get to the unit by 6:15 am to assure that assignments are made. Once we leave the unit at 3 pm, I'm back in my office for meetings with students, test to make or grade, other papers to grade, lectures to plan or update, committee work to do, etc. Even on those days, it's not unusual to be in my office until 5:30 or 6.

Also, in the university where I work, promotions are not automatic. If hired as an instructor, you must be at the university for at least 2 years before you are eligable to go up for promotion. In order to qualify, you must show excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship, with at least 2 published articles and presentations at the local level, be admitted to a PhD program and have completed at least 12 hours of that program. To go from assistant professor to associate professor, you must have completed your PhD, have at least 20 publication points (you get 4 points for each article that you solo authored, or are first author, and 2 points if you are not the first author), have presented at the regional level, and be actively involved in a program of research. Of course this is all in addition to having excellence in teaching, and service. To be promoted to a full professor, your research must be funded, and be ongoing, and themed. Your presentation must be at the national or international level. And your must continue to publish. -- So, none of the promotions are "routine." They are all WELL earned. It takes a long time to accomplish all of the tasks required for each level, then seems to take almost as long to put together your portfolio to apply for promotion. Of course, it is the only way to get $ as raises sure don't come any other way these days. I have been here 7 years, and the only raises that I have gotten in the last 6 of those years has come from promotions.

Hello everyone, I am so glad I found this forum on allnurses.com. This fall I will begin my new career venture as a LPN instructor for the local vocational school. I am excited, nervous, and even a little scared!! I will be leaving (staying on per diem) the acute care facility where I have worked for sixteen years. I will be bringing with me my experiences of nursing school. I started out as a nursing assistant/emt, went to school for my ADN and recieved my BSN in 2002. I also have a variety of clinical experience from med-surg, pedi, renal, cardiac, emergency, and rehab. I know I have a lot to offer and even more to learn and I am glad that this forum will be available for moral and professional support. And I will be sure to check out the new thread Tips for New Educatiors!! Thanks, Sue

HI! Graduated in Dec w/ my MSN in nursing Ed and administration. Am currently THE staff development departmetn for our nursing department ii which is for some reason separated from our education department. Am considering getting some sort of certification in addition to my MSN -- any suggestions?

I have taught in ADN programs for the last 13 years. The opportunity has been great and I have benefited from the faculty shortage (since I don't have my MSN yet). I am currently completing an MSN program online so I can continue to teach full-time. I believe students will give you much more respect when you let them know you don't "know everything". Even now it's not uncommon for me tell them "I'm not sure. You see what you can find about it and I will too. Let's compare notes tomorrow." Your attitude is exactly what we need more of in nursing education. It can be a very high stress job, but I bet you'll thrive!