Would like some information on nurse education. Just started Walden MSN in nurse edu

This is not intended for negative, but really information I have learned. I work full-time faculty (didactic and clinical) and my salary equals what would be $36/hour for 40 hours/week. I got my friend a job as adjunct facutly at the same place. She makes $36/hour (not salaried but clocked, and her prep time is included). I work approximately 70hours/ week and get paid for 40 hours/week. She gets paid for the hours she works... My friend makes almost double my salary for hours worked when looked at realistically.

Take that negatively or take it as it is intended, to help you.

you state, "so I think if you like what you do then it wont be as stressful".


I think part of my problem is that I really do like it. or would, if I could do it the way I wanted....

This sounds negative, but I have been thinking alot about this over the years. In service professions like nursing and education, most of us went into it because we had ideals, wanted to make a difference (at least in my day that was why we chose these professions). However, I am finding that to advance in either specialty, often it is required to sell out...

I truly do not intend to offend anyone, but that is what I am seeing. Those who advance in these fields tend to forget the very reason we entered. I am heart sick. First I became heartsick over nursing and thought I could change things by educating in the profession, but have very quickly seen that the same problems are all over nursing education.

Those who really want to make a difference suffer every day. Those who want a nine-to five with weekends and holidays off love it....

In general, at most schools, full-time faculty are salaried and adjunct (part-time/prn) faculty get paid per-hour. You don't get to choose; it's simply a matter of which type of position you have. And, either way, you are expected to put in however many hours are required to fulfill your teaching responsibilities, regardless of how many hours you're getting paid for. Everyone ends up putting in more hours than they're "officially" getting paid for.

I know there are some members here who are hospital-based staff educators. Maybe some of them will come along and provide more info about that role, or have you tried doing a search to see what threads are already here discussing that?

Well,
What do you mean "you don't get to choose" Where I live- you do get to choose whether you work full-time salaried or hourly adjunct. You just don't take a position if you don't want it. My point is that I learned, because I chose full-time slararied and my friend chose adjunct. She makes much more than me because she actually gets paid for the hours she puts in,where as I work 70 plus hours per week and get paid for 40/week...

No, no -- what I meant was you don't get to choose, as, for instance, a full-time faculty member, that you'd rather get paid per hour than be salaried. The form of payment is dictated by the type of position you take. Of course you get to choose to take a full-time or an adjunct position (depending on what positions are open/available, that is)! The OP had asked "So is it possible to make sure I get paid hourly vs. paid salary?" I was responding to that question; I thought I had been pretty clear.

So as not to give you the wrong impression....

I too do love teaching. I precepted in ICU for years and years and decided to go into teaching because I thought I could make a difference if I got at the students early. I actually do feel like I have made a difference, adn that means a great deal to me. I think my students learn better when they are not stressed. I also think I teach them prevention and help them learn from mistakes I have made over the years or mistakes I have seen others make. I would have loved a heads up to prevent some of my mishaps, and I see that they get it.... It means so much to me that my students understand how their care, or lack there of, can affect patient outcomes. That is the reason I went into it, and that is the positive side.

But if your asking about hours and salaries, I am just being honest. At least from where I sit, I see many very happy nurse educators that put in their 9-5 and go home. For me, I have to do a good job to be happy and that takes a back seat to pay and hours (despite what it sounds like from my posts). The problem for me is that I can't do less than I feel is required, and I put in all the hours for salaried pay. Many educators do fine. It is really just my problem....

Like any other career, it is a matter of finding your ideal balance. You can't perform your best as an educator if your reserves are empty. I have learned this the hard way, and now make time to take care of myself, those I love, my spirituality, health, etc.

I am and have always been a "type A" and when you have a real passion for something, it's easy to get bogged down in shooting for perfection. I am trying to teach myself and my students a more healthful way of approaching things. If you focus on all the things you could do better or more of, you often wind up depressed and burned out. I just start each day determined to do my best and to make a difference. 99% of the time, I feel like I succeeded. The other times, you just have to learn to write off.

There are so many things to love about education. I first fell into this a bit by accident. While a staff nurse, I found I loved precepting. I developed my own curriculum, lol, to ensure nothing was missed in teaching the new graduate the important things.

In teaching full-time I find so many things to be excited about. There is a constant influx of new information. You will ALWAYS be learning and deepening your knowledge base. I love to search for ways to make complex subjects more simple, to connect them with things the students already understand, and to illustrate an idea.

I love the ability to be creative. I like that I am only limited by my imagination. I like to be able to make learning fun and memorable. I love to be able to use humor.

Most of all, I love encouraging others. The most amazing thing for me is how many students I encounter who have had horrible life experiences. People who have told them they are too stupid to amount to anything. Those who have faced stereotypes. Those who have come out of abusive relationships. Each student is unique and faces challenges. I love watching them learn what they are capable of and I love it when they triumph. It's great to see the student who overcomes a previous course failure, only to come back strong and succeed, then go on to be a fantastic nurse.

Of course there are long hours...nothing worth doing is easy. But I don't think I will ever find another job that constantly challenges my abilities: to learn, to present information clearly, to encourage, to be inspired, and yes, even to redirect students when needed.

The hours have become better as I get my course curriculum more the way I want it. I fine tune things every year.

I really feel that whether one puts in 40 hours a week or 400, that is not what makes them superior or inferior. It is what you do with the hours you spend, and the attitude with which you approach education that makes you excel. I will always strive for excellence. It always seems just over the horizon! I look forward to the challenge for many years to come. No one else will ever be responsible for your happiness. It's up to you. I have pretty much resolved that I will find joy in what I do, and the huge majority of time, this is the case. I hope you will also find that too.

That said I do think you should consider both the pros and cons of education. EVERY job has them of course, and although you will form your own judgments of what they are, it can help to have a game plan. For example, many new grads are shocked by how stressful it is to be "the nurse" and feel isolated and like they will never get the hang of things. If you don't talk to them about this, and let them know that this is common as they adjust to things, it can make them feel like they are the only ones that ever felt that way. However, if you let them know that most people have a difficult first year of nursing, it can greatly help them prepare a plan to manage their anxiety and find resources. If you know the stresses of education, you can plan to manage them.

When you begin to teach, I highly recommend Donna Ignatavicius' Boot Camp for Nurse Educators. It is inspiring and very informative. If I had to eat ramen to afford to go again, I would do it. It gives you such fresh perscpective and helps you love and celebrate nursing education. This is what I mean by keeping your reserves full...you have to stay passionate about your work to really excel, and this type of continuing education makes me love what I do.