MSN Nursing Ed with no clinicals?

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Specializes in Cardiac ICU.

I obtained my RN to BSN via Grand Canyon University last year - I loved the online format and it went pretty quickly. I'm considering doing my Masters in Nursing Education. However, does anyone know of MSN programs that do NOT require in-person clinicals that can be completed 100% online? Thanks for your input!

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Jeez, I hope not! What good would the degree be without any actual practical learning experience involved?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Unless you are already working in a nursing education position, you NEED a program that has practicum requirements. Education is not just theoretical knowledge. Education is a complex discipline. There are two distinct pathways - academia and workplace - with common foundations (educational psychology, learning theories, psychometrics, etc), but very different practical skills sets. Workplace educators have to have a very broad range of knowledge & skills - e.g., project management, employment law, instructional design, business/administration, etc.

I lead a large group of educators in my organization. Entry level is MSN, but they must also have practical education experience in order to be considered. Most of us start as CPR instructors & department preceptors.

We really need more talented and qualified educators. I hope you decide to pursue this route.

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Specializes in Cardiac ICU.

Thank you, HouTx!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I concur with HouTx. And just to clarify, 'clinicals' are not really clinicals in an Ed program. If you want to focus on academia, you would be student-teaching, which would likely include following a professor during his/her clinical rotations with their own students. If you are interested in Staff Ed, you would follow an educator in his/her clinical setting. Those were the options my program (not online) offered as their practicum. Any school that did not require a practicum would out you at a disadvantage for job placement in the future. On the bright side, when I had to do my practicum, the hours were very doable. It is nowhere near the requirements for undergrad or NP. And many schools (that you would potentially be doing student teaching for) are very flexible (many options for day, evening, maybe even weekend clinicals/lectures). You won't be there every hour that the students are.

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