dorimar BSN, RN

My gosh! People forget that there are different perspectives because people have had different experiences and well... different perspectives from various roles. I have been a nurse a long time. I see some really good experienced nurses and some really bad experienced nurses. I see some really good new nurses and some really bad new nurses. But what has remained constant, is that while there are some good nurses in our profession, there are some bad nurses too, and some of the experienced or semi-experienced bad nurses are teaching new nurses bad practice. So I decided to go into teaching. I thought I could instill the importance of excellence in nursing--show students what a difference their care could make (or not...more importantly). But I also remembered nursing school (as long ago as it was), and I remember being so stressed over passing and making the grade, that I did not really learn anything really about nursing until after I graduated and started practicing. So I wanted to make that experience different for nursing students. I focus on the learning. I treat them like the adults they are. I give my students that respect. They will be my colleagues very soon. However, there are those few that would take a mile when given an inch and who do not afford me the same respect I do them. There are the few who routinely have the requests for late allowances, or excuses for why they don't know the meds or patho on their patient, or who think the test was too difficult rather than that they should have known the material because they will actually need to know it to practice safely... There are some mouthy cocky people who are students and who try my patience and who actually ruin it for the majority that want to really learn and appreciate a teacher that really wants to teach them.... There are those that expect the degree because they paid the tuition. If they can't pass a dosage calc test and can't do the math, they are angry that they were tested on it even though it is basic knowledge & skill required to practice safely. There are those that complain about having to know info, but complain when I take the time to really teach them and make them think in class & never take me up on my open office hours or my practice stuff I send out-& still complain that we expect too much to expect them to know this basic knowledge/skill required for entry level safe practice . I do realize that these are not the majority. However, they are the squeaky wheel. It is hell being a teacher.... I get accused of being an "easy A" and get accused of expecting too much all in the same quarter.... and all I really expect is for the student to be safe and accountable and understand the importance of knowing.... I never thought adults needed to be treated like children to get them to do what they should.... But I am learning that in this-day-and age... limits need to be set and enforced because some adults are not internally motivated. So... even the best teachers look bad to some students. And our perspectives do change with different experiences and roles. I try very hard to keep looking at it from all perspectives, but I have learned to set limits and rules and enforce them. I do expect safe practice, and I do expect my students to leave me knowing ! that is the main reason I went into teaching. If I have to be more strict or more of a hard-ass with adults than I have to be with my teenage son, well then so be it....

I didn't choose teaching because i always wanted to be a teacher. I chose to teach nursing because I was always a nurse, and started to see some bad practice in my beloved profession and wanted to have a positive impact. I believe that nursing educators need experience. I teach nursing because I really know nursing and have a vision of what my profession can be. So, I guess what I am saying is, get some experience, then if you love nursing and think you can teach it well, then consider teaching nursing.

It's not just NLN... The state BONs have much control over schools. Specific passing rates are required... In my state, the BON has an "education board" that approves nursing schools and programs (can open and close them). However, those on the "education board" are directors/deans of various nursing programs in the area.... It seems obvious to me that this is a huge conflict of interest....

My school requires MS or MSN for nursing instructors to teach in the classroom. While they do NOT require ED focus of the degree, it is a plus.

I think a clinical education background is a plus... However, simulation has become a field of its own that has a ton of research/education practice to back it. If you have simulation experience or simulation education this is a plus. While clinical education & of course clinical experience is most definitely an asset in this position, experience with or knowledge of simulation is a huge plus. You can research this topic. Sim educators are becoming a specialty.

It depends. The conversion score is based on which questions you got correct. There are varying levels of difficulty of the questions. You need to see your actual score. An 82.4% for you could equal a different total score for you than it did for someone else depending on which questions each of you got correct. You should be able to get on evolve and get your score.

If you have 17 years experience it may not be that difficult. The market is no where near what it used to be, but experience still means a lot. I'm guessing on a range, but with 17 years as an RN you might be around $35-40/hour base pay (I know this is a broad range, but it does vary and some people can negotiate better than others). Shift differential can be anywhere from a couple dollars/hour to 16% increase for night shift.... Some places offer weekend differential (it was only 75cents/hour at my last job, some offer better) and others don't offer a weekend diff because is expected that everyone works every other weekend (or their fair share of them). Most of the hospital benefits are still pretty good out here. I believe generally if you use your facilities system it is often 100% covered in many places out here. I know that recently Banner (our big hospital conglomerate out here) recently increased the cost of benefits for part-time staff to the point that many of them were forced to go full-time in order to afford the benefits. Retirement varies from organization to organization. Most have decent 401Ks. I think the only place that still has a pension is County (governement) and their retirement is awesome!!! I'm not sure how long that will last though with the economic state of our state government... Mayo may have a pension, but I'm not sure.... Hope I'm not leading you astray with my estimate of pay. Anyone else have any thoughts or input?

I know the immunization clinics are hiring and the prison system. I don't know what the pay rate is in comparison. Also if you know anyone who needs office help, although I never thought this paid close to hospital pay. I have a new grad that just got work in home health which really shocks me!!! I never thought a home health agency would hire a nurse without experience. Apparently the do, and you will be managing vents and stuff. Blows my mind....

I spend way more time in prep than I do actually teaching. It makes a difference if you've taught the material before or if it bran spanking new. My new director tells us that we get only 2 hours of prep for every credit hour. If I lecture 3 hours I am only alloted 6 hours of pay for prep. I am teaching a class for the very first time this quarter (pathophys) and that doesn't even come close to the time I am actually spending on lesson prep... However, for my critical care class, I know that field up-and-down from my years working in it and have taught it 3 times in the last year with the same book and so this requires very little prep for me. I tried to tell my director that comparing a class you've never written or taught before to one that you've already written and taught is like comparing apples & oranges.

And after analyzing further, I don't think you must have a desire to work in a hospital, but you must desire the caring for patients part.... That could be in a variety of settings, but truly the cornerstone of nursing is caring for patients.... Even if you wanted to teach (as I do), you have to have that basic understanding of the profession to teach it. Nursing is both an art and a science. It sounds to me like you just want the science... I know I may be misinterpreting your post though.

I'm not trying to be insensitive or rude, but I really don't understand why you chose nursing. What exactly is it that makes you "love this field to death". There are all kinds of science degrees, but nursing involves the art of caring for patients... If you find no joy in that, I don't understand why you didn't get just a science degree.

Exactly right. One of my students who just graduated was thrilled to get into the Abrazo new grad program (many did not) and is gladly taking tech salary until the orientation is completed.... and he is very happy about it, as many of his classmates who have gotten straight As, and also sacrificed immensely through nursing school cannot find RN jobs....

There was such a nursing shortage not too long ago, and the government along with all of us and everyone else was pushing to increase nursing programs and nursing school enrollment. The nursing programs, enrollment and graduating nursing students is at a phenomenal high in Phoenix right now. We did what the government asked us adn put out lots of new nurses ready to take boards. Now the economy is failing and they don't need them anymore (for now). The clinical site availability (while big in the phoenix area) does not match our nursing program enrollments right now. And it is not just the clinical sites but the available preceptors too. First, schools must have a clinical contract with the facility before a preceptorship there can even be considered. Then you have to have enough nurses willing and able to be preceptors at those facilities. They need special training to be eligible. It is extra work too (Its difficult to precept). The preceptorship shortage is a huge deal and not taken lightly. the big wig people in nursing education and clinical coordination across the metro and non-metro areas just had a big resolution meeting. Everyone form every school has to meet together with teh big wig clinical coordinator of the MCC and PHoenix metro area preceptorship to negotiate and compromise.... The same is happening now for regular clinical rotations here in the Valley.... there just aren't enough spots.

Ditto to what elpark said.

you may find work as psych nursing educator as this is a specialty and sometimes hard to find faculty able and willing in that specialty. At the same time, your experience greatly limits your abilities in nursing education in general. Good schools will be leery of that. Others may not care, and expect you to teach everything despite your background. I would be leery of those schools because I think that is setting you up for failure. If I were you, I would not agree to take on education in a field for which you have no experience, but only book learning. You will not benefit the students, and they will know it right away and it will be awful for all involved. You will probably do fine in psych education, but need to get some bedside if you plan to have a broader nursing education field.