Work experience required to be a nurse educator?

[sepulveda]

I currently work on a medical/oncology unit at a local hospital in my city. I love the people I work with and the fact that my unit is dedicated to training new grads in our nurse residency program, but I simply want to try something else besides bedside acute care.

I have considered outpatient OR, urgent care, and a pediatric doctors office. My fear is that I will not be a strong candidate for being a classroom instructor if I have a couple of years in an acute care setting and the rest in an outpatient OR, clinic or urgent care.

I guess what I'm asking is, should I stay in acute care to be a stronger candidate for a teaching position in the future or would it be ok for me to move on to another nursing role like the ones I mentioned (considering that I may stay in that new role indefinitely).

Thanks for your time and input.

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Next time you see a clinical instructor on your floor, ask them.

Recent clinical experience is important, but requirements vary from area to area.

[doctoral_candidate17, BSN, MSN, RN]

From my experience various schools have a variety of requirements. Different positions are opening up all the time. In my opinion (as an educator for 6 years and seeing new educators walk into work every academic year) the important considerations for landing the position are: experience in nursing, experience in teaching, and your degree level. I think it is best to have the most well rounded experience in nursing practice that you can have. That certainly makes you more marketable.