Newbie Faculty Advice

TEXASWAG, MSN, RN · Mar 3, 2021

First, it was a good decision landing the nursing instructor job while you're getting your MSN. Now the pay won't be such a shock to the system. You already know what you're getting yourself into. No nurse wants a pay cut but such is the world of academia. I haven't taught in the classroom because I enjoy being a clinical instructor. Less preparation compared to classroom and at the most 10 students.

Eventually, the longer you teach you will have power points, quizzes, activities, and videos organized and ready for the students. It will get less stressful. Anyway, I wish you the best and keep at it. All the prep time will get less cumbersome.

kfynn589 · Mar 4, 2021

I agree with the above poster... I am on my fourth semester teaching full time but had taught clinical/lab for about 7 years now.

Where I teach we teach the same content each semester and team teach. So four full time faculty divide up the fundamentals content and it stays the same each semester (we also teach clinical and lab). My first semester was the hardest. Then over the Summer break I took a LOT of time and just really dedicated it to making my content the way I wanted it. I actually received an email from a returning student saying that she was so happy with the changes I made (worded it nicer and more professional).

So my advice would be:

1. Find a mentor

2. Spend the time to make it the best you can initially and just make subtle updates semester to semester

3. Look at what other programs are out there - perhaps team teaching would be good for you? or another program which you teach the same each semester? I know some schools you never know what you are teaching next as it can change.

4. Look for resources you can add. I use a lot of ATI's modules and resources to add to my lecture

In regards to the pay... I think there are benefits to outweigh the loss (mine wasn't a 30k loss though). I have summers off but paid. I have a (mostly) flexible schedule. Easier on my body. Option for a per diem job to supplement.

Good luck!

londonflo · Mar 8, 2021

There are many benefits beyond salary. You get to see the total growth of a student as they learn the body of nursing knowledge. Teaching theory and clinical establishes great relationships and collegial relationships in the future. And it can be fun. When starting out you are probably not going to get your favorite topic or course. That is true with starting any job. I worked at 3 colleges and taught other things than my specialty for a year or two. You do learn to like what you teach and there is time to develop unique learning experiences -- also study guides, PP Jeopardy games, case studies or personal projects. I developed critical thinking and student success programs that really helped students. Excel in that . There are so many technical improvements beyond "overheads'! You can add video, clickers etc. But realize you cannot do it all at one time. It takes years but there you go. (One time I heard a student say they were going to skip lecture after a morning clinical. Another student said "oh London Flo is teaching -- it will be good!")

Hang in there...you will eventually get your specialty and what a great experience it is. I taught oncology but many more topics than that. One day I came home and my husband said "your mood is great,,,wait it is April when you teach oncology!".from

I taught oncological nursing in programs in my small city. The recruiters from the 2 hospitals told me when I moved from being the primary oncology educator, the requests for a position in heme/onc really dropped.

You share landmark moments with your students.....and will love graduation ceremonies". What could be greater?

Best wishes for your future!

Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN · May 5, 2021

I’ve told this story here before... One Saturday I’m sitting in the living room grading care plans, reading journals, giving thoughtful constructive feedback for my two clinical sections of 8 students each. My third grader wanders into the room.
“Whatcha doing, Mom?”

”My homework for school.”

(aghast) “You have .... weekend homework??”

”Yes, sweetie, I have weekend homework ::smiling:: .”

Yep, the pay sucks and faculty politics can be so vicious, as Henry Kissinger famously said, precisely because the stakes are so small.

And if you want to live c yourself you owe the students the best you can do. You aren’t going to let them slide by on minimal effort, and you can’t either. But it’s the intangibles that make it worth it, what we used to call the Scoutmaster’s pay in Scouting. The day the kid really gets it, does it well, and recognizes it. The excitement. The pride in knowing something they’ll never forget. You get those moments and you never forget them either.

londonflo · May 5, 2021

On 3/2/2021 at 10:55 PM, vanurse1022 said:

The amount of time I spend on class prep is much more than I anticipated,

It takes me 6 hours to develop a one hour lecture...using atleast 3 resources (texts and journal articles), creating the power point with the salient points ....not the lecture word for word, and at least 3 activities to involve the students -- imbedded questions, true false items and clickers.

If you can, spend your Summer time developing your lectures (although you will not be getting paid for it). Then in the school year, when your lecture time rolls around you have a great polished lecture that boosts your spirits and the students really enjoy it. (If you have a LMS, post questions for students to answer based on the lecture, providing reinforcement of the content). Best wishes...There is nothing like the 'high' one gets from a great lecture!