3 Reasons to Pursue a Career as a Nurse Educator

Does the idea of mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals excite you? Are you energized and fulfilled by the ability to teach others? If so, a career as a nurse educator could be for you. Nurse educators are registered nurses (RNs) who have earned advanced degrees, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), allowing them to teach and train future nurses. As a nurse educator, you can work in a clinical setting such as a hospital, an academic setting such as colleges and universities, or both.

In addition, according to Nurse Journal, the job outlook for nurse educators is projected to grow 19% by 2020, which is much faster than average growth of other professions in the United States. If using your nursing skills to teach is of interest to you, keep reading to check out the top three reasons to pursue a career as a nurse educator.  

1. You can make a difference: Think back to when you started nursing school: did you have a professor that really made an impact on your educational journey? Perhaps it was the way they taught a particular lesson or maybe it was simply individualized attention they provided you when you needed it most. Regardless of the scenario, educators can make a difference in the lives of their students. In fact, according to Nurse Source, nurse educators often express that the most rewarding part of their job is their interactions with students and helping them gain confidence as they learn to become a nurse.

    

2. You won’t be bored: As a nurse educator, you will have a variety of responsibilities. Some common examples are teaching students, grant writing, promoting discussions, engaging in scholarly work, overseeing students’ clinical practice, contributing to the academic community and much more. Having an array of responsibilities and job functions in your role can help keep your work days exciting and motivating.

    

3. You can help shape the future of healthcare: According to the National League of Nursing, as a nurse educator you will be responsible for formulating program outcomes and designing curricula that is up to date with the latest healthcare trends and technology. By having a direct impact on the curriculum being used, you have the opportunity to actively influence how and what is taught to future healthcare professionals – truly shaping the future of healthcare.

Being a nurse educator is a rewarding and influential career path. If you’re ready to pursue a career as a nurse educator, take the first step and request more information about Chamberlain’s MSN Nurse Educator specialty track here.

By Sunita Rao-Fogt