What is a nurse educator - and how do I become one?

It’s no secret: we are currently experiencing a severe shortage of nursing educators.

The shortage has led to a dramatic reduction in student capacity nationwide and an inability to scale up faculty in the way that’s needed. This all coincides with an existing nursing shortage further fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Resignation in healthcare.

Education is a lifelong requirement for nurses, and now more than ever nurses need more education to adapt to the changing roles and needs of the healthcare delivery system. Nurse educators play a critical role in the foundation and success of the nursing profession. With a heightened demand for nurses, advances in technology, expanded care delivery models, and the rapid increase of nursing advanced practice providers, the demand for nurse educators has never been greater. Nurse educators lead the way for the future of nursing and patient care as they inspire, teach, and mentor the next generation of nurses.

Nurse educators hold an advanced degree, usually a master’s (MSN) or doctorate (DNP) in nursing. They can be found as faculty in nursing schools and within organizations. They are nurses who are passionate about teaching and advocating for nurses and have shifted their exclusive focus on patient care to include educating other nurses. Some nurse educators instruct in the classroom and others in a clinical setting. Nurse educators can be found in a variety of locations, however, most are found in academia or higher education. The following are examples of where you may find nurse educators:

• Clinical faculty member

• Dean of a nursing school

• Associate dean of a nursing school

• Professor

• Administrative nursing staff

• Specialist in continued education

• Unit-based educator

• Hospital-based educator

• NCLEX educator

Nursing educators that are faculty in nursing programs bridge the gap between the student’s conceptual learning and putting the knowledge into practice. They can be found instructing in both classrooms and clinical hands-on settings. A key role of the nurse educator is collaborating with other instructors and disciplines to be sure their students are prepared in a way that they retain the knowledge they are acquiring and are able put it into clinical practice to become successful nurses.

Becoming a nurse educator requires completing at least an MSN nurse educator program, and the core elements of that program include:

• Advanced Pharmacology

• Economics and Decision Making in Health Care

• Assessment and Evaluation in Nursing Education

• Advanced Health Assessment

• Evidence-Based Practice for Patient-Centered Care 

• Population Health

• Advanced Pathophysiology

• Philosophy, Theory, and Role

• Facilitating Student Learning and Teaching Innovation

• Curriculum Development in Nursing Education

• Innovations in Clinical Teaching & Evaluation

• Educational Program Evaluation & Accreditation

Each MSN nurse educator program varies, but most have the following requirements: 

• A minimum of two years of nursing experience

• Satisfactory completion of an accredited baccalaureate program with at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale

• Submission of official transcripts from all postsecondary schools attended

• An unencumbered, active RN license in the state of practice (some programs will require an RN license in the state of the program)

• Two or three professional references

• Completion of undergraduate statistics with a grade of C or better

• Written statement of professional goals for graduate study and nursing career

• Professional resume or curriculum vitae

• Successful completion of a personal interview with the nursing admissions committee.

• GRE if applicable

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test if applicable

Now is a perfect time for nurses who seek an alternative to bedside roles and traditional clinical practices to expand their careers and become nurse educators. Nurse educators are the cornerstone of the nursing profession, as they are the foundation, first mentors, and role models for nursing students. They lay the groundwork for the future of nursing. We need nurse educators and the critical role they fill now more than ever.