Is it possible to work bedside, clinic and faculty?

pro-student · Jun 4, 2017

Teaching at any level is going to require practice experience at that level and usually begins by teaching in the clinical setting. For undergrad that would involve having a clinical group for one of the major clinicals (med-surg, psych, peds, OB). As an FNP, after you have a few years of experience you could precept FNP students. To have an opportunity to teach in the classroom is more competitive and would likely follow several years of excellence in teaching in the clinical setting. Its not very common to teach at both the undergrad and grad level unless you teach something like research, cultural diversity, or policy course. The only APNs I knew of who teach at the undergrad level don't practice as APNs but have staff nursing jobs. In terms of teaching clinical content, it can be really tough to keep up to date with multiple areas and levels of practice. I would suggest trying to focus on one level or the other. For instance, once you finish your FNP and gain a few years of experience you can reach out to local programs who are often eager to find new clinical placements. Many schools offer courtesy faculty appointments to clinical preceptors which may include access to continuing education opportunities and the ability to network with full-time faculty and program directors. If you are a successful preceptor you might be invited to guest lecture an area you're skilled in. You may eventually have the opportunity to teach a course as an adjunct. For tenure track positions, I think there is still a major preference for PhDs with significant research publications and clinical experience.

Rnis, BSN, DNP, APRN, NP · Jun 6, 2017

I think that it would be hard to do it it all but you could. honestly.....work life balance would be hard. I myself only have my msn but I work as an FNP but do occasional adjunct teaching with BSN nursing students. I try to start my own IVs on patients to keep competent on that skills but I don't want to take a PRN job that requires me to work weekends and holidays....... plus it would be hard to go back to that role.

allnurses Guide · Jun 7, 2017

I plan to get my DNP along with my FNP so that I can teach. I know I will need to be a practicing FNP to be able to teach FNP students, but I am also interested in teaching undergrad. Now admittedly I am ignorant about faculty practices which is why I am asking, is that a thing? Can you teach both undergrad and grad level nursing students? It seems like I would need to stay current at the bedside to teach undergrad students. Would it be possible for me to keep a PRN bedside job to accomplish that?
Or is it more that I need to choose which level of nursing I want to teach and prepare specifically for that?
Moderators: Feel free to move this if this isn't the right forum. Thanks!

There are many ways that practicing NPs can remain involved with nursing and medical education/academia, didactic and clinical, and a DNP is not required for much of this, though it won't hurt especially if your end-game is academia at some point in your career, you just may get there cheaper along the way.

You are absolutely able to teach both undergraduate and graduate students, however, most of the APNs that are involved in academia in my circles have migrated fully to either graduate or direct-entry pre-licensure students.

Most APNs do not work as both NPs and RNs long term (though I know a few that do); it has been long debated but there may actually be a bit of legal risk for an APN working in an RN role. If your goal is to teach undergraduates didactically I don't see any need for you to be currently working as an RN to teach undergrads, as you will have an excellent working knowledge of the material. For clinical instruction, as you get further from your RN work may become more difficult.

An excellent way for you to transition is to teach undergrads while completing an MSN-NP program and you can apply the money from that towards your graduate education. You can continue this into your first few years of practice as an APN. After that you can begin to take NP students in clinical education and apply those credits towards your MSN-DNP. You can also begin to guest-lecture and publish, both of which which will reduce the number of CEUs you need for re-certification. Once you have banked enough credits and start your DNP program (which should be nearly free at this point) your classes will reduce your CEUs for the next cert period and you can become increasing involved with the didactic part of graduate eduction (including in medicine as well as nursing).

WestCoastSunRN, MSN, CNS · Jun 7, 2017

Thanks everyone! Boston --- I really like your idea of working on the DNP more organically (if that makes sense) during my FNP career. That said, my local university of choice no longer offers an MSN option for FNP. Because I do desire the terminal degree for the potential opportunities it could allow in the future and because I am not getting younger (it's time to fish or cut bait on grad school in general) and because of the way the program is laid out in a way that works best with my family situation over the next 4 years, I am willing to go ahead and pull the trigger on the DNP sooner rather than later. I also appreciate what you point out about the difference between the didactic teaching vs. clinical. I think I could be happy teaching undergrads didactically. I think eventually I will feel that way about NP students, but also be drawn to clinically precepting students. But that is yet outside my wheelhouse. In the meantime --- thanks for your thoughtful responses. It is good to know there are options for me in academia. If I'm so fortunate, I hope to leave my mark in nursing in more ways than one. I've focused on the bedside for so many years -- at this moment in time it's all I know and it's hard to think about leaving it behind -- because I am still passionate about it even though I also want to move on to new things.

allnurses Guide · Jun 7, 2017

Thanks everyone! Boston --- I really like your idea of working on the DNP more organically (if that makes sense) during my FNP career. That said, my local university of choice no longer offers an MSN option for FNP. Because I do desire the terminal degree for the potential opportunities it could allow in the future and because I am not getting younger (it's time to fish or cut bait on grad school in general) and because of the way the program is laid out in a way that works best with my family situation over the next 4 years, I am willing to go ahead and pull the trigger on the DNP sooner rather than later. I also appreciate what you point out about the difference between the didactic teaching vs. clinical. I think I could be happy teaching undergrads didactically. I think eventually I will feel that way about NP students, but also be drawn to clinically precepting students. But that is yet outside my wheelhouse. In the meantime --- thanks for your thoughtful responses. It is good to know there are options for me in academia. If I'm so fortunate, I hope to leave my mark in nursing in more ways than one. I've focused on the bedside for so many years -- at this moment in time it's all I know and it's hard to think about leaving it behind -- because I am still passionate about it even though I also want to move on to new things.

If your chosen program is already DNP then the price likely isn't much more than the MSN program was and perhaps it doesn't make much difference. Getting involved in clinical education at the NP level is very rewarding if done correctly and helps your practice as well.

MierKat · Jun 9, 2017

It will be interesting to see if your opinion on Direct Entry (no RN Experience) NP students changes once you become an instructor/preceptor of NP students.

WestCoastSunRN, MSN, CNS · Jun 11, 2017

It will be interesting to see if your opinion on Direct Entry (no RN Experience) NP students changes once you become an instructor/preceptor of NP students.

I agree! It will. I won't have any trouble eating humble pie if I find that my current opinion needs tweaking. In fact, I truly hope I am wrong on that count, because the fact is Direct Entry is a thing -- so I hope it's good for the profession. But my concerns go beyond just how prepared a student is -- I hope that direct entry doesn't dilute nursing or distance advanced practice nursing from other forms of nursing -- and I see that potential with direct entry. That said, I don't know what I don't know. I've been around long enough to know.... to REALLY know-- I always have lots to learn.