Top 5 reasons to change into a nurse educator

(Content courtesy of Chamberlain College of Nursing) Ask almost any nurse about teaching and they’ll inform you concerning the joy that an “aha” moment can bring. “My favorite part of teaching is seeing connections being made,” said Donna Castellani, MSN, RN, assistant professor at New Jersey City University. “I love seeing the light bulbs go on when a student realizes they’ve already achieved it, it makes sense and they can connect their experiences to that learning.” In addition to the non-public satisfaction of witnessing students’ growth and transformation, nurse educators also profit from flexible schedules, a various and consistently changing work environment, and plenty of other advantages. We recently connected with several nurse educators to seek out out why more nurses will probably want to consider a teaching role this yr. They stated that these roles allow teachers to:

1. Be wanted

According to a 2014 report by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, U.S. nursing schools rejected nearly 69,000 qualified applicants. Robert Rosseter, a spokesman for AACN, said staffing shortages proceed to limit the expansion of nursing programs across the country. “Nearly two-thirds of all nursing schools responding to the survey cited staffing shortages as the reason they do not include all qualified applicants in their programs,” he said. “In addition, a wave of faculty retirements is expected across the United States over the next decade, which could further reduce the nursing population.” Lacey Turner, MSN, RN, after graduating in 2015. Specialized track for MSN teachers at Chamberlain College of Nursing. Shortly after graduating, she accepted a position as an assistant professor of nursing at Middle Georgia State University. “There is such a shortage of nursing teachers, and schools need new lecturers with fresh ideas who can contribute their knowledge and experience,” she said.

2. Inspire other nurses to greatness

Castellani said she first knew she desired to change into a nurse educator when she returned to high school in Chamberlain’s online RN-BSN to MSN, Educator Specialty Track. “During my second or third nursing course, I realized that I had a renewed enthusiasm for learning,” she said. “The professors I met in the online environment were so knowledgeable and helpful that they inspired me to pursue a teaching career. High-quality nurses come from high-quality education. And quality education requires quality teachers.” The work you do outside the classroom often leaves a good greater impact on students than the teachings you do within the classroom. “Being a nurse is so much more than just teaching,” Turner said. “We mentor our students, role models as professional nurses, and encourage them to never stop learning. We are there to guide students, to inspire them, to praise them when they do well and to help them when they do poorly.”

3. Benefit from lifelong learning

As a nurse, you’ll have access to the most recent and cutting-edge information and research, you’ll profit from the chance to collaborate with other healthcare professionals and learn out of your students, who in turn learn from you. “As a nurse, you can bring your years of experience in a specific field to your students,” said educator Suzanne Miyamoto, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, senior director of presidency affairs and health policy at AACN. “What enriches the discussion even more is the diversity and experiences they offer. Peer learning is an invaluable part of being a nurse educator.”

4. Cast a wider net

Mark Garcia, MSN, RN, was a nurse on a telemetry unit when he felt he gravitated toward the patient education aspect of nursing. After completing the Chamberlain MSN Educator Specialty Track in 2015, he joined the school as a full-time instructor on the Phoenix campus. “When I started in nursing, I wanted to help people,” he said. “Instead of helping four patients in a shift as a floor nurse, I can now cast a wider net. If I can teach students how to treat people the way I would like to be treated, I am fulfilling my original goal in a broader way.” Carole Eldridge, DNP, MSN, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, vp of post-licensure programs at Chamberlain, agrees. Looking back on her forty years in nursing, she considers her academic experiences to be essentially the most rewarding. “I watched students mature into professional nurses and saw my small impact grow and reach thousands of patients,” she said. “I was struck by the enormity of what we had accomplished together. The faculty of nursing have created a legacy that will pay off for generations.”

5. Act as a pacesetter within the nursing career

Nurse educators have the chance to shape the subsequent generation of nursing leaders, influence policy and standards, and support healthcare institutions. “As a nurse, you can get the same satisfaction you would get from helping a patient, but you can also change careers in the future,” Garcia said. Interested in learning more about faculty positions available at Chamberlain College of Nursing? Visit website for more information.