Would this make a big difference?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

I am SOLID in the fact that my calling is to be a nursing instructor. I don't care about money, time, etc.....It is my true passion and I would do it for free. I am currently an ADN student with one more year left until graduation, and I am working on filling out my app for advanced decision placement into an RN~BSN~MSN program. They have 1 Nurse Educator route (which I was told would be easier to get into due to fewer applicants) and 4 NP routes (more competitive to be accepted). All of my instructors have been NPs or at least have a Master's in their feild, but not necessarily Nurse Educator. Does it matter? I overheard an instructor telling another student not to waste her time on the Nurse Educator Route, when she could get her NP to fall back when she was tired of teaching. I want to be as competitive as possible once I finish school to land a position. I hear about the shortage of educators all the time but don't see hardly any job postings in my area. Your oppinions please?

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To find nurse educator positons- you will have best luck looking in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

At this point, many of the schools are asking for an FNP or something like that..

But look at the chronicle (you can do this on line) and see what requirements they are asking for...

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You have presented an interesting question. As a long time nurse educator, as well as a maternal-child clinical specialist, and a women's health care nurse practitioiner I'll give you my thoughts (based on experience in nursing education).

Typically nursing programs hire full time and adjunct faculty based on their clinical educational and clinical experience. In other words you are best prepared to educated nursing students from a position of clinical strength (education and experience). Therefore I would suggest you consider either an NP or a clinical MS/MSN program, whichever meets you particular clinical interest.

Nursing programs like to have both a balanced faculty (broad range of clinical preparation) and educators who are experienced in their field. I'm not familiar with the MS nurse educator route, so perhaps it is possible to focus on not only education, but also a particular clinical area.

Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
I am SOLID in the fact that my calling is to be a nursing instructor. I don't care about money, time, etc.....It is my true passion and I would do it for free. I am currently an ADN student with one more year left until graduation, and I am working on filling out my app for advanced decision placement into an RN~BSN~MSN program. They have 1 Nurse Educator route (which I was told would be easier to get into due to fewer applicants) and 4 NP routes (more competitive to be accepted). All of my instructors have been NPs or at least have a Master's in their feild, but not necessarily Nurse Educator. Does it matter? I overheard an instructor telling another student not to waste her time on the Nurse Educator Route, when she could get her NP to fall back when she was tired of teaching. I want to be as competitive as possible once I finish school to land a position. I hear about the shortage of educators all the time but don't see hardly any job postings in my area. Your oppinions please?

Hello asoldierswife,

I do not personally know any educators with the Educator certification distinction.

Not to discourage you with my post, but, you really do not need the educator certification in order to teach. I am an OB-GYN and family practice NP and am an educator without the educator certification. I teach OB-GYN, cardiology, pediatrics, and, serve as mentor to several NP grads as well as preceptor for BSN students. I dearly love education. For me, I utilized most of my career in clinical practice (still do part time...education part time). But, if I had obtained certification in education only, I would never have been able to do what I have done in the clinical areas. It would have been too narrow a choice for me.

It is not at all necessary to obtain the Educator certification to teach. It is an admirable goal, however. I encourage you to pursue this, if you desire the certification.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I have an MSN with a concentration in management and leadership and am currently enrolled in an adult med-surg clinical nurse specialist. I could teach if I wanted to, but like someone else stated, the jobs around here at least are requesting clinical expertise. Good luck.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

Thank you very much for all the replies. Like I said, my ultimate goal is to be an instructor. It sounds to me that the Nurse Educator route will be too narrow, possibly setting me back. I want to focus in critical care (I work in ICU right now). It seems like NP will best serve me in reaching my long term goals. Can anyone give me an idea of how much experience you had to have before you were hired? What extra certifications you found helpful? What they were looking for generally? I am very very serious about this. It is my passion, teaching. And I love nursing. So being a nursing instructor would be dream. I really wish I had a mentor, but our instructors are soooo busy, many working 2-3 jobs...

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