Educator "no buy-in"

NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Feb 8, 2014

Once I complete my BSN in a few months, my plan is to look high and low for a position as a Patient and Family (only) Educator. As a floor nurse with demanding patient loads, I am one of those guilty of resenting 'pop' inservices when I'm knee deep in you-know-what and am already behind in a million things as soon as I get report. An educator under those conditions is the last person I want to see. But I do understand that you have a job to do. I hope to find a position where an admission assessment triggers a visit from the patient educator....even if it means certification in specific illnesses like diabetes, or hypertension, or renal disease, or whatever. I'm sorry to hear of your experience, though, because I thought moving from the bedside would have yielded less stress.

Educators19761 · Feb 8, 2014

I appreciate your honest opinion. Thought of taking a role in diabetes education, and again as you have mentioned, certification is a "must have" in this role.

I think a lot of the nurses foresee education as a less stressful job but it has it's different type of stress level. Again, I think you are on the right track with your plans of being an educator for patients/family (only).

passionflower, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 10, 2014

The best thing about this role is the variety it offers, in hospital or outside in the community. You can offer your service independent of the hospital as a consultant in your specialty or teaching inservices and seminars, doesn't mean you have to quit your day job if you can schedule appropriately and offer your services part-time - you get to control your own income and destiny. Just another option to consider because I think that we as nurses consistently undervalue what we bring to the table.

Educators19761 · Feb 10, 2014

Passionflower, you had given me another great idea in exploring other alternatives with Nursing Education. Appreciate it!!!

Psychcns · Feb 10, 2014

I think inservices must be mandatory and should come with continuing Ed credits when possible. Staff are too busy to attend but they need the updated info and need to document it. They need to work out workload issues with the manager.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Feb 10, 2014

You have hit the nail on the head. This is one problem with nursing management, they haven't found a way to balance education and getting the job done. This is exactly why I never wanted to teach in that environment, (I teach nursing students). The main problem is that getting the job done always takes precedence over education. Education seems to be increasingly done by email, memo, or computer based. Managers want their people educated, but don't want to give the time or budget for that to happen. So you end up giving classes in a rush, squeezed in-between other tasks, or in an ineffective manner. I'm not sure I have the solution. Mangers are oriented to the organization, not to nurses (with a few exceptions). Until you can change that attitude, you will always be fighting for time and priority.

The other problem is that it is difficult to engage staff nurses, especially if they have a lot of experience and knowledge. Sometimes there just isn't that much you can teach them. There is a huge difference in the knowledge and experience between the new nurses and the experienced ones. Creating education that can appeal to both is very difficult. I'm sure if you could challenge and engage the experienced nurses, they would be more likely to be interested in classes.

You sounds unhappy with the status quo. What is likely or possible to change? If the answer is nothing, then I think you have your answer. If you can utilize some degree of power to effect change, I say go for it. Good luck.

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 10, 2014

I think inservices must be mandatory and should come with continuing Ed credits when possible. Staff are too busy to attend but they need the updated info and need to document it. They need to work out workload issues with the manager.

Actually, mandatory inservices (by definition) are usually ineligible to receive Continuing Education Credits (unless you are talking about credit accepted by that institution only and counting towards your yearly evaluation).

The type of CE that is required for specialty certifications, RN license renewal, etc. must meet certain standards (and the process for review/approval is extensive) -- and mandatory inservices on specific institutional policies, pieces of equipment, etc. don't qualify for that type of credit.

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 10, 2014

I've been in Nursing Professional Development for 26 years -- and have seen both the good and the bad of it. Like any specialty, it has it's good sides. But it also has its bad sides. A lot depends on the team of people you are working with. If they value education and have taken the time and made the effort to educate themselves about the need for high quality staff development, it can be a great job. But if you are working with group of people who have no understanding or appreciation for the process of education as well as its benefits, it can be hard to get them to give you the resources you need to do your job.

Have you hooked up with some people certified in Nursing Professional Development (or one of its regional chapters) who could mentor you in this challenging environment? Are you a member of the Association for Nursing Professional Development ... maybe gone to one of their conference, read their journal, etc. ? Sometimes, such resources can give you good practical tips to use as well as inspire you to keep going when times are tough. If you haven't developed such resources for yourself, it might be a good idea to start doing that.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Feb 14, 2014

Have been an Educator for years and have to hear all the complaints that have been mentioned. The truth is, nobody wants to do CE. They feel it is an infringement on their time, even when getting paid. I have learned just to put it out there and if they do it, fine and if not, it is not my job to police the situation. This is not a perfect world anyway.

Educators19761 · Feb 15, 2014

I'm very impressed by your statement, "it is not my job to police the situation, and thus is not a perfect world anyway." I used to be very stringent and pushy to the staff to attend classes And activities conducted by me or the other educators. I have reached a point where I had developed frustration and mental burn out. It is not simple to create a class and I think that the nurses and managers tend to disregard the educator's challenges.

I see myself conducting a just-in-time In-service a lot where I try to just put off the fire rather than creating meaningful classes for the staff. I have observed that they are more responsive to this type of teaching-learning experience where I correct them and answer their questions on the spot.

organichombre, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Mar 9, 2014

I have been blessed with my choices of education jobs so I do not have any real ability to relate. However, I do know that as a bedside nurse it was often frustrating to deal with nurse educators for the ICU. In this time of "do more with less", we were being inundated with additional charting requirements, a new manager and new directives for the educators to provide teaching to staff. Is there other issues that staff and your managers are dealing with simultaneously? If so it may be time to step back and let one issue work itself out if possible. Good luck