How to Become a Nurse Educator
If you’re passionate about shaping the future of healthcare, you might consider learning how to become a nurse educator. This role involves teaching and training aspiring or current nurses, sharing expertise through classroom instruction, clinical training, online learning, and mentorship.
The nursing workforce is now the largest among all healthcare occupations, surpassing doctors by almost fourfold. With nearly 1.7 million new nurses entering the field every year, there’s a growing demand for nurse educators.
Meanwhile, educational institutions across the country face faculty shortages, causing nursing schools to limit student capacity. There are simply not enough nurse educators to keep up with the influx of nursing students.
Are you ready to answer the call and explore this area of nursing? Teaching comes with its own set of requirements. This article will address common questions and provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to become a nurse educator.
Nurse Educator: Career Snapshot
- Mission: Shaping the future of nursing by inspiring, educating, and mentoring nursing students and practicing nurses.
- Responsibilities: Designing curriculum, creating and teaching nursing courses, mentoring students, and conducting research.
- Workplace settings: Universities, colleges, hospitals, and healthcare organizations.
- Career path: Nursing degree and clinical experience, followed by advanced education in teaching and nursing education, including certification.
What Is a Nurse Educator?
A nurse educator is a specialist whose goal is to equip nursing students and/or nurses with all the necessary knowledge and skills to confidently apply what they’ve learned academically to real-world patient care situations. Nurse teachers not only have extensive knowledge of the clinical components of nursing, but also a thorough understanding of the healthcare system as a whole.
There are various types of nursing instructors, each specializing in different areas of nursing education and training:
- Clinical nurse educators teach and train nurses in places like hospitals and clinics.
- Academic nurse educators work in universities and colleges.
- Staff development nurse educators provide education and training within healthcare organizations.
- Continuing education nurse educators develop programs for practicing nurses to maintain licensure and stay updated on advancements in the field.
- Nurse educator specialists focus on specific areas of nursing education, such as mental health or pediatric nursing, providing focused training and expertise in these areas of nursing.
- Online/virtual nurse educators deliver nursing education through e-learning platforms, webinars, and virtual classrooms.
- Public health nurse educators provide health education and training for communities, schools, and public programming.
- Corporate/industry nurse educators train healthcare professionals on medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare technologies.
Teaching Environments: Where Does a Nurse Educator Work?
When considering how to become a nurse educator, it’s important to decide whether these work settings are a good fit for you. Examples of work environments for teaching nursing include:
- Acute care facilities
- Community colleges
- Community care centers
- Educational institutions
- Government agencies
- Healthcare organizations
- Nursing schools
- Public health agencies
- Research institutions
- Universities
What Do Nurse Educators Do?
Another essential thing to consider is what exactly you’ll be doing on a day-to-day basis, which differs a bit from traditional duties in nursing. Teaching is just part of the job, and tasks will vary depending on your work setting. Nonetheless, typical responsibilities of a nursing instructor include:
- Developing curriculum and lesson plans.
- Creating online modules/courses.
- Delivering lectures and facilitating discussions.
- Conducting hands-on training and simulations.
- Evaluating student performance.
- Providing mentorship and guidance.
- Staying updated on advancements in nursing.
- Teaching and precepting newly hired nurses.
- Encouraging lifelong learning in nursing.
To get a better idea of the work involved in this role, check out a sample nurse educator job description.
How to Become a Nurse Educator
The path to a career as a nursing instructor involves a combination of education, clinical experience, and professional certification. Here are the general steps to enter this specialty:
1. Get a Nursing Degree
Obtain a nursing degree — either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) — from an accredited nursing program. While a BSN is often the minimum required qualification for nurse educators, many choose to pursue an ADN degree for quicker entry into the field. Afterward, you can advance your education through bridge programs such as RN to BSN.
2. Obtain a License
The next step after completing your nursing program is to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become a licensed registered nurse (RN).
3. Gain Experience
Working as a nursing mentor or preceptor provides hands-on experience in educating future nurses. Other nursing specialties to consider for skill-building include:
5. Earn an Advanced Nursing Degree
Want to take your career to the next level? Consider pursuing a master’s in nursing education degree. Some institutions, such as prestigious universities and research centers, prefer to hire nurses with master’s of science in nursing (MSN), doctor of nursing practice (DNP), or doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees for teaching roles. A Doctor of Education (EdD) is another option for careers in nursing academia.
6. Attain a Certified Nurse Educator Certification
Want to boost your professional credibility on your nurse educator resume? One way to do this is to become a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE), which is considered the top choice for nurses pursuing academic careers. An MSN degree is a minimal requirement for this credential.
There are additional certification options for you to consider as a nursing instructor, and their requirements vary:
- Academic Clinical Nurse Educator (CNEcl)
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
- Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC)
- Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML)
Note: The NPD-BC certification requires only a bachelor’s degree and is offered by the American Nurses Association.
What Is a Typical Salary for a Nurse Educator?
In the U.S., the average nurse educator salary is around $87,090 a year. Just keep in mind that your earnings can vary widely depending on your education, certifications, location, years of experience, and type of teaching workplace.
This is the average annual salary breakdown for different workplaces:
- General medical and surgical hospitals: $108,790
- Colleges, universities, and professional schools: $86,800
- Technical and trade schools: $83,600
- Junior colleges: $83,010
To find out what you might earn in your location, check out the latest nurse educator jobs on IntelyCare.
How to Become a Nurse Educator: Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a nurse educator?
It usually takes about five to eight years to enter the field of nurse teaching, depending on your career path. If you want to teach at a higher educational level, a PhD is often preferred, which can take even longer. Here’s a general timeline:
- ADN: 2 years
- BSN: 4 years
- MSN: 2 years
- DNP: 2 to 4 years
- PhD: 3 to 6 years
How do I transition from clinical nursing to a nurse teaching role?
To transition from clinical nursing to a teaching role, consider gaining relevant education and experience, such as pursuing a master’s degree in nursing education or completing a teaching certificate program. Additionally, seek opportunities to assist or shadow experienced nurse educators, develop teaching skills, and network within the nursing education community.
Is there a demand for nurse educators?
Yes. Very much so. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 18% job growth — roughly 16,100 additional jobs — in the next decade for nursing instructors. That is much faster than the average job growth.
Can you be a nurse educator without a master’s?
While it’s possible to get a job teaching nursing without a master’s degree, employers tend to prefer to hire candidates with an MSN. Additionally, you may be able to be hired with just a BSN if you’re currently enrolled in an MSN program.
What professional organizations can I join?
Joining professional organizations for nurse educators can be a great step to expand your network and stay updated on industry trends. You might consider joining associations like:
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
- Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE)
- Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD)
- National League for Nursing (NLN)
- National Organization of Practical Nursing Education and Service (NAPNES)
- Organization of Healthcare Educators (OHE)
IntelyCare Is Your Source for Careers in Nursing
Teaching the next generation of healthcare professionals is its own reward, and learning how to become a nurse educator can be very fulfilling. Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Find out how we can match you with nursing jobs in your preferred specialty.