Qualifications needed?

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Hello. I was wondering what qualifications are needed to become a nursing instructor?Thank you.

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

Masters or Phd.

and willing to take a pay cut.because there pay is lousy.

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Specializes in ICU.

those that can't do........teach. i've seen the caliber of the teachers for the 2 schools that use our hospital for clinical. i wouldn't give a lick for any of them.....or their students. i feel sorry for the kids, they're blowing their money and are enept at graduation. they may have their degrees, but they can't function...threw one of the leading instructors out of the icu just the other day 1/2 way through the shift after her patient crashed and she had no idea what to do, had no skills to do it with and quoted drug doses wrong to me. it was a disaster! she won't be picking up time in the icu ever ever again! :banghead:

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU.
Masters or Phd.

and willing to take a pay cut.because there pay is lousy.

Just to specify that it should be a Master's or a PhD in NURSING. I have a master's in another field and was told that (under the State's nurse practice act) I could do some teaching if I had six hours of graduate nursing credit AND was working towards an MSN. I'm not sure how much that varies from state-to-state.

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU.
those that can't do........teach. i've seen the caliber of the teachers for the 2 schools that use our hospital for clinical. i wouldn't give a lick for any of them.....or their students. i feel sorry for the kids, they're blowing their money and are enept at graduation. they may have their degrees, but they can't function...threw one of the leading instructors out of the icu just the other day 1/2 way through the shift after her patient crashed and she had no idea what to do, had no skills to do it with and quoted drug doses wrong to me. it was a disaster! she won't be picking up time in the icu ever ever again! :banghead:

I'm sorry that you've had such a bad experience but your comments are unfair and a gross generalization. My nursing instructors were all fabulous teachers and nurses. My peds clinical professor was highly respected at our local hospital and the nurses on the floor frequently used her as a resource on days that we had clinical.

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Specializes in Home Health, Geriatrics.

Every nursing instructor should have a BSN or MSN or Doctorate to be an instructor. Plus most every college or university that I have ever known will require the RN, clinical instructor to have 2 years of hospital medical surgical experience.

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Thank you all for your advice. I was just thinking it takes so long to get into the program where I am located because they only choose 15 students each year. Is there a need for instructors? That is why I asked. Thank you again.

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Specializes in ICU.

labcat01........as my instructors were! they just aren't making them like they use to. :crying2:

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU.
labcat01........as my instructors were! they just aren't making them like they use to. :crying2:

Maybe it is because they are getting desperate :(

seekingknowledge- to answer your question- yes! There is a great need for more nursing instructors.

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Specializes in Psych.
Thank you all for your advice. I was just thinking it takes so long to get into the program where I am located because they only choose 15 students each year. Is there a need for instructors? That is why I asked. Thank you again.

Well, I know 1 year ago there was such a high need in the state of Virginia that they were offering up to $40,000 dollars in scholarship money ($20,000/year for 2 years) to nurses wanting to earn master's or doctorate degrees (from one of four VA schools) who would then teach. They were highly competitive (I would imagine so) and they were giving priority to those pursuing an MSN who would then teach at a VA community college ADN program:

http://www.governor.virginia.gov/mediarelations/NewsReleases/viewRelease.cfm?id=427

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Specializes in Home Health, Geriatrics.

there is a great need for nursing instructors with MSN degrees. Seems not many nurses want to be tied down to students which is sad.

As far as pay, I work 16 hours a week and make $500. So that isn't too bad, but I live in a really low cost rural area. Some nurses might not like the pay. The school pays for all my supplies and I use their computer and paper and copy machine to run off tests and make copies. There is nothing coming out of my pocket for being an instructor.

We need good RN's with a strong clinical background to teach, so it might be a great idea for you to think about! :nuke:

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