Nurse Educator

lhflanurseNP, APRN · Jul 8, 2017

Have you considered the possibility that schools may be reluctant to hire a MSN degreed nurse practitioner to teach "nurses"? The role of the NP is different from that of "the nurse" and they may feel that you are "over qualified" or "out of touch" with basic nursing? I would find it difficult to teach nurses now as my approach to patient care is primary care driven and I am independent in my assessment and treatment of the patient much less the "nursing diagnoses" versus actual medical diagnosing. I wish you well if this is what you would truly like to do...good luck.

Trauma Columnist · Jul 10, 2017

Do you teach already? ACLS, PALS, pre-hospital?

That might help. I'm an ACLS, PEPP, PALS, Pre-hospital Lead Instructor and I get asked all the time to teach nursing students. However, its just not my idea of fun so I decline.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 10, 2017

Did you take nursing education courses as part of your graduate program? Do you have any prior experience as an educator? If the answer to these questions is, "No," that might be holding you pack.

Nursing Education is a specialty -- just like other nursing specialties. Be sure to highlight any education you have received about that specialty and any past teaching experience you have in your application for jobs in the specialty. If you don't have any experience in education and have never studied that specialty, then I would suggest doing that before trying to become college-level faculty.

delawaremalenurse · Jul 10, 2017

CNE certification is not easy to obtain. You need experience and/or specific coursework for certification. Don't remember the details but you can google it easy enough.

Luvmyscrubs82 · Jul 11, 2017

Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions. I do not have any experience as faculty, however usually the requirements are having a MSN/BSN and 3-5 years of non-teaching hospital experience. Several online programs seek instructors that have additional certifications in a specialty area or as an APRN . I have been a RN for over 11 years and have held a MSN/APRN for the past 3 years. I do not want to solely teach, but rather something to do in addition to working as a FNP. I am enrolled in a CNE program at UTA this upcoming fall. Most of my colleagues have said that certification is not necessary to teach in the capacity that I am seeking, being that I am only seeking to teach LVN or RN to BSN students.

nurse_flo_marie, MSN, RN · Jan 9, 2018

Hi luvmyscrubs82! How did you fare with your decision?

Nursing Education is a specialty -- just like other nursing specialties. Be sure to highlight any education you have received about that specialty and any past teaching experience you have in your application for jobs in the specialty. If you don't have any experience in education and have never studied that specialty, then I would suggest doing that before trying to become college-level faculty.

I know in MA they do hire NPs to teach in Baccalaureate programs because there still aren't a lot of MSN-prepared nurses graduating from Nurse Education programs. Online is more difficult to break into especially if you can't provide evidence of teaching in a classroom setting. What draws you to the online vs in class? Have you looked into teaching clinicals? I can tell you teaching in the classroom, even if online, can be time-consuming, especially in the early stages of developing your teaching style. Good Luck!

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Jan 15, 2018

I am an NP (since 2008). I also just received my DNP last May, and I applied to many online adjunct professor jobs right after I got my DNP. I got a job offer after a month and now I teach two different classes at two different grad schools for NP students. I love it! :)

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Jan 15, 2018

See my previous post. But also I found that it helped to mention on my resume that I had years of experience being a TA while in grad school and also that I acted as a preceptor for NP students at my full time NP Clinic job. I think having your doctoral degree also helps tremendously too, as both myself and my friend from my DNP program found online jobs within two months of graduation. Good luck!! :)

BioNerd19 · Jan 25, 2018

Hope this is not prying, but how much do you make per year as a nurse educator?

I am interested in going back to school ABSN to DNP program, and I know for some DNP programs you can choose Education as the specialty.

I am going back and forth bw Education and Psych and was wondering if just a CNE and some other courses would still allow me to teach or would pidgeonhole me in Psych practice

Also same goes for Education-DNP, would that allow me just to work in teaching?

So what kind of DNP do you have? Any certifications (CNE)? Any prior teaching experience?

Thank you

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Jan 30, 2018

I work full time as an NP. I only teach two classes online as an adjunct instructor for my side jobs. One class pays me $3300 to teach it, the other pays me $4500 to teach it. This way the money I make teaching is extra spending money for me, I love it! :) I am certified as an acute care NP and also Advanced Diabetes management.

I have been a TA for one year, and have been a preceptor for many NP students and I was also an online student for my DNP so I am very comfortable with online learning. My DNP was a post masters general DNP :)