Questions about nurse education and the day to day.

AOx1 · Jul 7, 2009

This will be largely guided by what path you choose. In hospital education alone, it depends widely on the facility. Some may offer a 9-5 position with no weekends (like the hospital I work at) and larger facilities often have varying shifts so education can be provided to all shifts of employees more conveniently.

A typical day also largely depends on how new an instructor is to teaching, the semester, and the facility. If you are at a more research-based facility, this will differ, but my particular school places the main focus on teaching. The first year, I spent insane amounts of time planning each class. For each topic, I would also read the assigned reading, draw from other sources, current research, and distill this massive volume of information down to key elements that the students need to know to be safe practitioners. I give a brief lecture, then immediately move the students towards applying the concepts. I don't think it's fair to ask them to test at the application level if you are only presenting knowledge level (facts) in class.

I also write my own case studies, work sheets, and class activities. This is very time consuming. My first year, I would be at the school from 8-5 on a typical day, then work several more hours each night on classwork and grading. This occurred 2-3 days a week, then the other two were clinical days, and I arrived at 6 am to make assignments, with students arriving at 6:30 and postconference for one hour at 2pm. Clinical days are very busy all the time.

I also spent most weekends working on classwork. I also must keep posted office hours each week and participate in committee work. I also write grants. Twice a month I work a 12-hours shift at the hospital to ensure my clinical practice remains current.

After years in education, I have been able to find a more appropriate balance. I still work more than 40 hours a week, but have limited the time, mostly doing my updates to my courses in the summer in addition to working part time at the hospital. It is a demanding job, but so very rewarding. To see a student who understands something for the first time, to see that first little bit of confidence develop in them...it's pretty pricesless. That's when all the crazy hours pay off. That's when I realize that although I make less money than at the hospital full time, it's worth it. The most stressful situation for me is when a student fails, and it can also be difficult to see them through their first patient death. In the ICU, I've seen so much death myself, but it is fresh through the eyes of a student. There are certainly stresses- you feel a need to be expert in many areas at once- both your teaching specialty, your practice area, and as an instructor. But this feeling of being pulled in multiple directions is certainly not new to any practicing nurse. Best of luck. I would do it all again.

dorimar, BSN, RN · Jul 8, 2009

I must say I so wanted to have an impact, and still do. And while I knew the off hours time commitment would be high, I had no idea how so. I went from working 3 12 hour shifts/week to working 40 hours at work plus about 4-6 hours at home each night and spending my weekends planning syllabi, lessons, skills labs, etc. I keep tellimng myself, once I get my curriculum all planned out and my lessons in order, it will get much easier and I will only be fine tuning. I hope so. I always planned on working the bedside at least once/month to maintain my skills, but I absolutely do not have the time in this year round program. My family sees less of me than they ever did even counting my graduate schooling. I am finding it hard to make ends meet with the cut in pay I took to leave the bedside coupled with my student loans. ON top of everything, I so worry about the success of my students. I worry if they can't pass a HESI, it is partially a failure on my part (have not personally had to deal with this situation yet, but fear it none the less). Almost felt like I was drowning when I started because I went from being an expert at the bedsied to a novice in education and was given the responsibility of writing my own curriculum (thank God I really learned in school about objectives, and basing content & assessment of learning on objectives, and higher levels on Bloom's taxonomy, etc.). Still feel like I'm sort of drowning. I stress so about failing my students (if they fail, I will feel as if I failed).

When I look back at my career choices, it seems very unwise to do what i did. Spend money to get a higher education so I could make less money to work so much more... I know it might be worth it if it gets just a little easier. I am haning in for now.

elkpark · Jul 8, 2009

Education (in any discipline, not just nursing) seems to be one of those jobs that "expands to fill the time available." I haven't yet known anyone in nursing education (inc. myself) who put in "only" 40 hours/week in a full-time position (maybe some of the v. experienced, tenured, senior faculty who are mainly "resting on their laurels" at this point in their career, but certainly not those "on the front line," teaching the undergrad courses). Combine that with the significantly lower pay (compared to clinical practice), and you can see why lots of capable, qualified RNs aren't interested in teaching ...

caitiecait · Jul 9, 2009

Wow all these responses are making me not want to become a nurse educator/instructor. I guess the number one most important thing is I want to be able to have time with my family. I want to be present for all family functions and have a flexible schedual. will i have that as a nursing instructor/educator?? I guess this is hard b/c I feel like one of my major strengths is teaching, I absolutly love it, but on the other hand if it is that much work I dont know if it would be worth it. Like I said, family time would be the most important. How much do you make now as a nursing instructor. Would nurse practitoner be the way to go to have a better schedual?

allnurses Guide · Jul 9, 2009

I take the best of both worlds, 2 twelve hour nights in the ER, and teach just one class at the community college. Since I already have all my lectures written, all I have to do is review and revamp ( I make notes in and after class about what to change or review) each week. Grading papers takes more time these days than writing the lectures; although my first semester was many many hours of prep.