Nurse Educators, Introduce Yourselves!

[VickyRN]

Welcome to the Nurse Educator Forum. It is my desire that you find this a warm, inviting place and will come here often for friendly, collegial discussions.

Let me introduce myself: I have been an ADN nurse educator in a small community college in North Carolina for the past two years. My areas of specialty are medical-surgical, OBGYN and immediate newborn, and cardiac nursing. In addition to teaching, I conduct clinicals on general medical-surgical, PEDS, postpartum, and cardiac step-down units. Along with being a full time nursing instructor, I am working on my Masters in Nursing Education. I am enrolled in a fully online curricula and have been very satisfied with this so far.

I have learned much these past two years but, I have so much more to learn! I look forward to hearing from you.

[oncnursemsn]

((Welcome Monitorhospital!)) I've taught at the NP and AD level nearly 10 years- I'm not sure, but I think you have to have at least a year before going for CNE certification. I'd put it in your favorite search engine (Google) and see what the reqs are. I was looking into it last year, and I recall a number of hoops had to be jumped through.

On the other hand a few years ago I sat for my OCN (Onc certified nurse) and it was just a "Boards like" exam. Piece of cake! Good luck and welcome!

[Goodoldnurse]

Hello All!

To sit for the CNE exam you must teach for 2 years. This can include teaching time while achieving your MSN. I have been looking into sitting for the exam for about a year. I am planning to go to a NLN update to get prepared since it is not an inexpensive exam.

[ldstrombeck]

Hello,

I'm a new LPN Instructor for a BOCES program. If I didn't sign a contract and feel some committment to the students, I would resign. The expectations are too great. The salary is very low when you consider ALL the prep time. I teach adults every evening.

Does this get better?

Also does anyone have suggestions for evaluating the learning, besides quizzes and exams? Right now we are in A&P. Every night is an adventure, since I've NEVER taught before, but I've been a nurse for 40 years!

Any HELP is appreciated.

Loraine

Kingston, NY

[neumann]

When teaching students start easy, get to know them and a little bit of their baggage.....and they all have baggage.

Have them write down what they fear most, and then discuss it with them

class time is a time to learn, not to be frightened

give a lecture and then after wards do a small jepardy game (there are lots of software out there to make it really easy) this will get them excited

and you will also learn how much they were paying attention

in the beginning put them in groups

change the groups each time if they seem uneven

keep a running score

plan a pizza party at the end of your semester

with the losers bringing in the pizza and sodas

you can also do word games (there are a lot of free games out there)

[oncnursemsn]

To the poster Idstrombeck, do you have a mentor, a faculty person who you can go to and run some of your issues by? When I first started teaching, I had so many questions and issues I didn't know how to handle. I do a lot with case studies- they are available, but I've had so many interesting pts over the course of my years that I create my own- and the students can get really involved in them. I agree with the previous poster- there are many ways out there to get creative.

Are you 'all aware the simulation is now the new buzz word in teaching nursing? Not just "Sim Man" the highly realistic (expensive) dummy that can speak, has vital signs etc, but getting the students to lean the material and present it to their classmates. Makes them now responsible for their learning, and we aren't just "spitting it out" for them to absorb.

Hope this helps and that you're finding some help from this forum **Welcome!**:heartbeat

[EvelynRN-BSN]

The students in the second semester have lab first. They must be checked off in lab on skills/competencies before they can do any hands on skills in the hospital setting. They have to pass the check off. Once they pass the check off they are able to do the skills in the hospital setting, but only with the instructor (myself, I am their clinical nursing instructor and my background before teaching was ICU). They cannot do it with the RN's on the unit. They have to do it with me by their side. Only in third or fourth semester are they allowed to do it with the RN on the unit. I (as the instructor) need to see that they are competent in what they are doing and can perform the skills safely on live patients vs being checked off in lab. I watch them and stop them if they do anything wrong, the they receive a student conference form is they failed to do something right (if they receive two student conferences, they are considered unsafe and fail the course). The skills that the perform after completing check offs are: Foley insertion/discontinuation/maitenence, IV insertion/removal, Venipuncture, IVPB, IVPs, Fluids (hanging, changing tubing), Giving insulin, Accu Checks, Central Line Dressing Changes, Chest Tube Monitoring, NGT insertion/removal, Head to Toe assessments.

I hope this helps.

Hi EvelynRN-BSN

I am interested in how you determine what skills the students are required to meet during their clinical. In Australia, the Universities coordinate the timing of when students go into the hospitals for clinicals. A facilitator employed by the uni comes with the group of students and takes them to the unit they are assigned to for the three weeks. I am an educator employed by the hospital in the ICU - unfortunately the system here currently means that the Unis do not liaise with us nor give us guidelines on what students are to achieve. Supposedly the facilitator from the uni has to check skills etc but the students are buddied with some of our RNs for the shift and lately the facilitators from the Uni bringing the students to ICU are not Crit Care Trained - so are useless in ICU!! They gave me a set of competencies they wanted the students to achieve on their second last day (!!) and expected me to do them - The competencies were not applicable to students or ICU. The training system here in Australia frustrates me - Educators in the units in the hospitals need to be part of developing clinical competencies and then assessing them - I am not happy with the current system where inexperienced facilitators are assessing students with meaningless competencies - it seems to me that they just want the box ticked without ensuring the students have gained any knowledge on clinical or have sufficient skills to be safe at the bedside. So..... how do you coordinate with the Unis? Hopefully your system is better than ours!

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Hi Everyone! I'm not working right now due to having moved recently, but I taught psych clinicals and didactic courses, off and on, both as an adjunct and full time instructor. Most recently I was educational coordinator for a hospice. It will be nice to have peers to "talk" to!

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Welcome to all! :welcome:

[Lstcats]

Hi to all educators,

I thought I should formally introduce myself since I have been using the forums on this website for the past month or two. I am thoroughly enjoying my time here and love conversing w/ other nurses. I lead a very independent and somewhat isolating life as a nursing instructor so it is great to have found this.

I have been teaching off and on since the Fall of 06. I was FT faculty in a PN program (nonaccredited) and left after one year for many reasons which I can't go into. Then, I worked for another college for one year as a clinical adjunct in a PN program. I left in Feb. when they did the same thing to me as the other school re: passing students who fail clinically (enough said). Now, I am at my 3rd school and teaching in an ADN program which is far different and the faculty much stricter and there to help me w/ the students. Because I only have a BSN I am not able to teach in any accredited program including PN. BORN in MA has strict policies re: degrees required for teaching. I don't know about obtaining a MSN as I have tried a few times and keep withdrawing d/t health issues. I also can't seem to find the time and energy to do an online class. I really need a MSN if I am to continue with this line of work. Actually, it is the only line of work that I have ever felt like I belong and feel great at the end of the day. I love the students and get great pleasure out of them. I know this is where I belong. It is just the MSN thing. Also, I make little money and can't afford school. I need to really look into financial aide and scholarships. So, that is my intro. I am looking forward to learning from all of you. Thanks so much.

[Goodoldnurse]

I went through a totally online accredited program that was a state university so tuition was lower. also many universities are providing full scholarships to draw educators. They are work checking out!

[2educate]

Hello fellow Educators!

I am a nurse educator of many years, with lots of exciting jobs that allowed for optimal student learning. I have taught in staff development, preceptor programs, RN refresher programs, New Graduate Programs, University- ABSN programs, currently provide education for a home health agency, looking foward to teaching online as a Community Health Educator. I currently hold a BSN degree, MSN degree, and thinking about more but right now don't have the time. Seems like a lot but, it goes by so fast. Where has the time gone......

Experience has taught me that when we can make a difference in one student's life we can assist in changing the world.

2educate...........

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Welcome to all! :) :welcome: Look forward to your contributions on the board. Let us know if we can help you in any way.