Seeking teaching experience while working on MSN Ed.

Specialties Educators

Published

After this semester, I will be half way through my MSN Ed. program from a good state school. Since I do the program part time, I'm still about 1.5 years away from completing the degree.

How have some of you gained experience as an educator while working on your MSN? I'm in the South and 95% of the jobs I see posted require a MSN or an equivalent Master's degree, such as MPH. This is even for clinical instructors. There are a lot of nursing programs in my area, both public and private.

At this time, I cannot go full time for an educator/teaching position.

The closest LPN programs that are hiring in my area are full time positions 1-1.5 hours away without traffic and I live in a commuter area. For my sanity, I know I could not do that for a year or two for 4 or 5 days a week.

Any suggestions?

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I worked as a clinical educator (trauma) in a hospital while working on my nurse educator MSN.

DowntheRiver

983 Posts

Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.
3 minutes ago, Pixie.RN said:

I worked as a clinical educator (trauma) in a hospital while working on my nurse educator MSN.

Where I currently work, the minimum entry into the nurse educator role is MSN or higher and 7+ years. I don't have either - a little over 5 years experience. I have discussed with my nurse educator working there in the future, but as of now it is a no-go.

I greatly appreciate the response, though!

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I already had an MSN in nursing informatics and 8 years of ED/Trauma, so that probably made it a little easier (though other hospital educators had BSNs where I worked). Good luck finding something!

allnurses Guide

Nurse SMS, MSN, RN

6,843 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

My hospital will hire BSNs into educator roles. They won't be eligible for promotion nor for the higher pay rates that educators can earn in acute care, but they can get their foot in the door. You may need to consider moving if you are serious about this.

Other than that, you can try becoming a certified preceptor in your hospital. Sometimes local community colleges will allow BSN nurses to assist in the skills lab part time.

DowntheRiver

983 Posts

Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.
23 hours ago, Nurse SMS said:

My hospital will hire BSNs into educator roles. They won't be eligible for promotion nor for the higher pay rates that educators can earn in acute care, but they can get their foot in the door. You may need to consider moving if you are serious about this.

Other than that, you can try becoming a certified preceptor in your hospital. Sometimes local community colleges will allow BSN nurses to assist in the skills lab part time.

I checked with them, and they do not hire BSNs into educator roles. All current educators do possess Masters degrees. I also don't feel it's a case of them not wanting me - I've participated in several of their projects and am encouraged that opportunities will be there when I graduate AND become certified.

Moving would be difficult for several reasons. My specialty is Oncology, and the facility closest to me does not have an Oncology unit or outpatient Oncology. Finding a facility with the same caliber of care will be difficult since I already work for the best of the best. Furthermore, we can't physically move because of my husband's job - he works in the boonies, and our house is halfway between both our jobs - 45 minute drive for me, 30 minute for him.

You posed a great suggestion in applying to the local college. I have done so, as they do accept BSNs for lab and skills, and am waiting to hear back.

allnurses Guide

Nurse SMS, MSN, RN

6,843 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Sounds like you have the answers you need. Good luck with school!

aanurse

11 Posts

I worked as an educator (clinical and theory) at a local LPN school while I was doing my masters. Most LPN schools only require a BSN to teach. When I completed my masters, my present school gave me credit for the LPN teaching hours and it counted as "teaching experince". I would not recommend the thoery teaching as it involves a lot of prep work (and will leave you little time for school work). Clinical was a lot easier. Rules may be different in your state, but this worked for me.

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