Can you teach as a NICU nurse?

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jun 5, 2019

I have several co-workers that are clinical instructors for local nursing schools. You can also be a Clinical Educator for the NICU. They teach new hires in the classroom and also provide our mandatory education (simulations, STABLE, NRP).

Nurse Magnolia, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2019

3 hours ago, NICU Guy said:
I have several co-workers that are clinical instructors for local nursing schools. You can also be a Clinical Educator for the NICU. They teach new hires in the classroom and also provide our mandatory education (simulations, STABLE, NRP).

Thanks! That is very encouraging!

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Jun 10, 2019

This is a topic that I've been trying to sort out for a few years; I've linked to a forum that I posted two years ago about a similar topic:

I've found that the AN member llg is a fabulous resource. She has a PhD and works in professional development (i.e.a hospital-based nurse educator). From what I understand, she had originally intended to work in academia, but found that having a background exclusively in NICU was somewhat limiting.

My biggest concern as a didactic instructor (or even a clinical instructor) is that NICU is such a niche specialty. As you probably realize, NICU composes a tiny fraction of what's actually covered in nursing school; therefore, even as a maternity or peds instructor, you'd have relatively little practical experience with the subjects you're teaching.

I'm also a NICU nurse with an interest in teaching in an academic setting; I personally transferred out of the NICU into a PICU setting last year, in part because I thought it might make me a stronger candidate as a pediatric instructor. That's always something that you could consider. However, because you mention your age, I do want to note that pediatrics has been much harder on my body than I expected compared to NICU (and I'm still in my 20s).

I do think that hospital-based professional development might be a most straightforward path to follow. Since NICUs are huge, they tend to have their own dedicated educators, as NICU Guy mentioned.

Keep us updated!

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 10, 2019

"Thank you," adventure_rn. That was a nice thing to say about me (above).

Yes, I have a PhD in Nursing and my only clinical experience has been NICU. And, yes, it caused significant problems for me trying to pursue and academic career. Undergraduate schools just don't include enough NICU to hire instructors who focus on that population. Most include their NICU content in their Maternity course or Peds course -- but with no actual experience in those fields, I was neither qualified nor comfortable teaching those clinicals.

So ... I ended up in Nursing Professional Development (staff development) and am OK with that. It's been a good fit for me. I started with unit-based NICU educator, then switched to a hospital-wide role as my knowledge evolved --teaching things like preceptor development courses, new grad classes on reality shock, etc. -- topics that are "generic" and not focusing on any one clinical specialty. I also coordinate my hospitals rotations for nursing students and consult on research and evidence-based practice projects.

I also teach an occasional course for a local university -- to "scratch my itch" for academia.

It's good that you are thinking about these things at the beginning of your NICU career. That gives you a chance to explore the different possible "next step" roles out there and participate in those activities as a NICU staff nurse that will help you get there.

Nurse Magnolia, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2019

On 6/10/2019 at 11:13 AM, llg said:
"Thank you," adventure_rn. That was a nice thing to say about me (above).
Yes, I have a PhD in Nursing and my only clinical experience has been NICU. And, yes, it caused significant problems for me trying to pursue and academic career. Undergraduate schools just don't include enough NICU to hire instructors who focus on that population. Most include their NICU content in their Maternity course or Peds course -- but with no actual experience in those fields, I was neither qualified nor comfortable teaching those clinicals.
So ... I ended up in Nursing Professional Development (staff development) and am OK with that. It's been a good fit for me. I started with unit-based NICU educator, then switched to a hospital-wide role as my knowledge evolved --teaching things like preceptor development courses, new grad classes on reality shock, etc. -- topics that are "generic" and not focusing on any one clinical specialty. I also coordinate my hospitals rotations for nursing students and consult on research and evidence-based practice projects.
I also teach an occasional course for a local university -- to "scratch my itch" for academia.
It's good that you are thinking about these things at the beginning of your NICU career. That gives you a chance to explore the different possible "next step" roles out there and participate in those activities as a NICU staff nurse that will help you get there.

Thank you for all of that insight! I don't want to give up the NICU - it's something I'm really excited to do. I will have to work in my education MSN in my career somehow, but I'm ok with doing hospital education as well. The hospital I work for has a diploma nursing program (there are many in our area) and the nurse recruiter said that after I'm done with my MSN I'd be able to pick up an adjuct faculty role because they do teach NICU classes there. I don't know....I'm getting ahead of myself. But I'm glad to know what I'll be dealing with later on.