Staff Development

WGU's MSN Ed is not exclusively academic. People love the Ed specialty courses. I am curious. I work for a large health system but there are few staff development positions. No nurse educators anymore. They rely on an ever dwindling cadre of CNSs. What are some staff development job titles and what do they do?

Following this thread for good answers. I have been thinking the same thing. I don't mind academic education based msn degrees. But I would rather be in a clinical setting.

I recently finished my MS Nurse Educator through Liberty's online program. I would say it was strongly, but not entirely geared towards classroom teaching in an academic setting. However, we could choose our practicum setting and I chose to do mine in Staff Development. I enjoyed it a lot. Our hospital had 4 staff development nurses in addition to the Clinical Educators and CNS on the units. One specialized in clinical orientation and new grad programs. Another handled BLS/ACLS/PALS. My preceptor was the specialist in the area of regulatory education requirements. It was a great experience. I didn't know such requirements even existed until my practicum. I would love to find a similar job myself but I have since relocated and there's nothing posted for staff development here.

I recently finished my MS Nurse Educator through Liberty's online program. I would say it was strongly, but not entirely geared towards classroom teaching in an academic setting. However, we could choose our practicum setting and I chose to do mine in Staff Development. I enjoyed it a lot. Our hospital had 4 staff development nurses in addition to the Clinical Educators and CNS on the units. One specialized in clinical orientation and new grad programs. Another handled BLS/ACLS/PALS. My preceptor was the specialist in the area of regulatory education requirements. It was a great experience. I didn't know such requirements even existed until my practicum. I would love to find a similar job myself but I have since relocated and there's nothing posted for staff development here.

Liberty has great tuition for a military spouse, which I am. But I am not Baptist (or a creationist) and am nervous that their resident campus reputation bleeds into the reputation of their online school. What was your experience with this? Were they pushy regarding religion? They do have an excellent curriculum for the MSN though and I think the program well prepares its graduates.

I have found some CNS/Educator combined programs that are online or hybrid. I guess that is another option as well. It provides for a very flexible role in the clinical atmosphere.

I am trying to Assess whether staff Ed positions are a thing of the past or a thing of the future, if that makes sense. It affects me because if staff Ed positions are few, a leadership

MSN makes more sense for me versus an Ed degree. In my area, academic teaching positions need a PhD. Sorry, this may be taking us away from OP question.

I am trying to Assess whether staff Ed positions are a thing of the past or a thing of the future, if that makes sense. It affects me because if staff Ed positions are few, a leadership

MSN makes more sense for me versus an Ed degree. In my area, academic teaching positions need a PhD. Sorry, this may be taking us away from OP question.

That may be something more appropriate for a separate post because it is a very good question, but not relevant to the OP's question.

Trying to respond to you on my laptop but it's not cooperating, BusiestBSN. Not sure if it will let me quote. But yes, great question. It is a religious school. There are assignments where the Bible is a required reference. Mostly discussion boards, and the Bible is always considered an acceptable source for papers as well. There's definitely a thread of Christianity throughout each course. I didn't find this to be pushy, but each person is going to have a different feeling on this. The military discount was wonderful and the online option was great for me. If I can answer other questions about the program I am happy to do so.

Yeah I do also wonder if Staff Development is going extinct? Seems like it would be a necessary role in my experience.

Although the school may be focusing on academics, the concepts of adult education are the same. The only differences are the specific regulatory requirements and pretty much no school covers that due to the variations from state to state.

As a Masters trained educator you'll have the tools you need to get the job done. Curriculum development and needs assessments are the same no matter where you are. The differences are the available resources.

I have no plan on working academics other than as a guest lecturer. My love has always been clinical education in hospitals. When in school unless it was otherwise specified, my papers focused on Prof/Staff development and in hospital clinical education.

I'd join the staff development association, start to network with staff development people in your area and network, network, network.

Thanks, great suggestions. I was not aware of this association

Thought I'd chime in here. I'm a non-academic educator (for plenty-one years) .... and I can attest to the fact that it is tremendously difficult to obtain relevant education via an MSN program. This is why I ventured out to other (non-nursing) educational sources to supplement my education after I got my MSN. I think it's really sad that things still haven't changed.

Having done both, I can assure everyone that there is a TON of difference in education practice (workplace vs academic). There are a ton of employment liability issues that we have to deal with, including all the FLSA stuff that directly affects competency measures. We have to be focused on ROI at all times, so our financial acumen has to be top-notch just to keep the bean-counters from slashing our budgets. We have to be savvy about all the "people" software systems and data available ... so we can conduct high-level evaluations. Those of us who are accountable for "clinical" rather than just nursing education also have to understand all the various scopes of practice & licensure regulations for those disciplines.

Project management skills are a must - in order to manage organizational change initiatives -- they all involve staff education. Management & operational skills - because we not only have to manage our own 'business', but we have to train new managers throughout the organization. And, of course - since most healthcare organizations are heavily invested in eLearning, my educators have to know how to design & produce this type of education. I have to teach/coach them, because there aren't any courses available.

But - I LOVE it. Wouldn't want to do anything else.