Clinical Intructor

Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN · May 19, 2008

I think that the two have to go hand in hand. As a nursing student I want a clinical instructor to have thoery and practice knowledge.

Being out of clinical nursing for a long time makes you forget what it was all about and how difficult it can be. I had nursing instructors that did not even know how to use an IV pump, while others who were hands on about anything and everything.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · May 19, 2008

Both are important roles and both are in my honest opinion, when done well, help our profession. I would hope that a clinical instructor would still be practicing in the hospital outside of clinicals to be up to speed with the advances in practice.

allnurses Guide · May 19, 2008

Being a clinical instructor is just as tough as being the primary bedside nurse. Not only does the CI have to know what the patient needs, but be able to teach it as well as do it. Plus, oversee novices doing things, sometimes for the first time; responsible for not only 6 patients but 6 or more students as well. Yes the primary has the ultimate responsibility, but the CI has to be the go between for the students and the nurses as well. The paperwork goes home with the CI as well, can't just close your charts and leave it all behind.

So, the CI is indeed practicing her profession as a nurse, just in a different mode.

:up:

MikeyJ, RN · May 19, 2008

However, considering our nursing instructor shortage, instructors and professors who no longer practice clinical nursing will sometimes be forced to be a clinical instructor.

I have always had nurses teach my clinicals that were bedside nurses as well; however, this semester my ICU clinical instructor told us that he has not stepped foot in an ICU in nearly 15 years. Scary!

KarynicaRN · May 19, 2008

to me it's the same thing. i have to be a registered nurse to teach a group of students be it nurse aides, lpn or rn students. i have to be up on the knowledge and know what i am doing.

i had a student one time ask me if i work as a registered nurse anywhere. i was dumbfounded. i stated "yes, i am currently working as a registered nurse, otherwise i wouldn't be able to teach you in the classroom or clinical setting." i wasn't that direct or harsh, but it made me feel like few people understand the role of the clinical and classroom instructor.

i guess some people forget that a clinical instructor must be a registered nurse who has many years of experience in the hospital or ltc. at least in my state those are the requirements.

it's not easy taking anywhere from 5-10 students into a clinical setting and keeping a watch on all of them. not sounding off here, because i love my job

jjjoy, LPN · May 19, 2008

I had a student one time ask me if I work as a registered nurse anywhere. I was dumbfounded. I stated "yes, I am currently working as a registered nurse, otherwise I wouldn't be able to teach you in the classroom or clinical setting."

Dumbfounded? Will you also be dumbfounded to hear that while our CI's who weren't faculty had to have current experience, many of the full-time faculty who also worked as CI's had not worked independently as a bedside RN in a very long time. Of course, their RN licenses had to be active, but the answer to the questions "do you work as a RN anywhere (outside of being an instructor)" - the answer for some CI's would be "no."

suzanne4, RN · May 19, 2008

I noticed that you are posting from overseas; in the US one is required to have clinical experience as an RN before they can be clinical instructors here. They cannot go from graduating from the BSN and then immediately begin to teach in any type of program.

Not sure what the specifics that you are asking about.

And if wishing to work in another country in the future, most do not accept being a clinical instructor as work experience as the bedside nurse. And that is where most of the jobs are. Also be aware that as a CI, as you call them, you are also legally responsible for the actions of your students, they are in the facility under your license.

KarynicaRN · May 20, 2008

dumbfounded? will you also be dumbfounded to hear that while our ci's who weren't faculty had to have current experience, many of the full-time faculty who also worked as ci's had not worked independently as a bedside rn in a very long time. of course, their rn licenses had to be active, but the answer to the questions "do you work as a rn anywhere (outside of being an instructor)" - the answer for some ci's would be "no."

just to clarify..my student did not realize that i was a registered nurse. i guess she just thought i was a teacher brought in by the college to teach nursing students and chaperone students in the clinicals setting. my name and title are on the syllabus and my name tag has my name, rn bsn on it. maybe my student just wasn't paying attention? :wink2:

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · May 20, 2008

In my state you need a MSN to be a clinical instructor, you can get a waiver if you have a BSN and a Master's in another field with 5 yrs of nursing experience. Or BSN enrolled in MSN program with 5 yrs experience.

No way would a BSN and no experience be a clinical instructor. I had to have my University send an sealed transcript to the college for the Board of Nursing.

I don't think it is a good idea to be a staff nurse one day on a unit and a clinical instructor the next.

BinkieRN, BSN, RN · May 20, 2008

They cannot go from graduating from the BSN and then immediately begin to teach in any type of program.

I thought a nursing instructor required a MSN degree? At least to teach RN students?

KarynicaRN · May 20, 2008

i thought a nursing instructor required a msn degree? at least to teach rn students?

that is correct in my state of illinois. an instructor must have a msn to teach rn students, but can have a bsn to teach lpn. i had a clinical instructor who was working on her msn who was at the point in her education that she was allowed to be our clinical instructor. depends on the state and on how much education/past experience you have.