Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to main content
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals
Menu

Mobile Main navigation

  • About
    • Accreditation
    • Alumni
    • Blog
    • Chamberlain Care
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • History
    • Newsroom
    • Online Education
    • Our Vision
    • Student Consumer Information
  • Academics
    • College of Nursing
      • 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Certificate Programs
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
    • College of Health Professions
      • Public Health Certificate Programs
      • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
    • Academic Resources
      • Academic Calendar
      • College Catalog
      • Curriculum Plans
  • Campus & Online
    • Campus
    • AZ - Phoenix
    • CA - Irwindale
    • CA - Sacramento
    • FL - Jacksonville
    • FL - Miramar
    • GA - Atlanta
    • IL - Addison
    • IL - Chicago
    • IL - Tinley Park
    • IN - Indianapolis
    • LA - New Orleans
    • MI - Troy
    • MO - St. Louis
    • NV - Las Vegas
    • NJ - North Brunswick
    • NC - Charlotte
    • OH - Cleveland
    • OH - Columbus
    • TX - Houston
    • TX - Irving
    • TX - Pearland
    • TX - San Antonio
    • VA - Tysons Corner
    • BSN Online Option
    • Post-Licensure & Graduate
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
      • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
  • Admission & Financial Aid
    • Admission
      • Transfer Guide
      • Catalog
      • Academic Calendar
      • Military Information
    • Financial Aid
      • Tuition & Expenses
      • Types of Financial Assistance
      • Financial Forms
      • Educational Healthcare Partners
      • Loans
      • Work Study
      • Grants
      • Scholarships

Mobile Secondary Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info

Mobile Utility Navigation

  • Current Students
  • Prospective Students
  • Transfers
  • Military
  • Alumni
  • Partners
  • Employers

Top Utility Navigation

  • Current Students
  • Information For
    • Current Students
    • Prospective Students
    • Transfers
    • Military
    • Alumni
    • Partners
    • Employers
  • Chat
  • 877.751.5783
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals

Main Header navigation

  • About

    About

    Chamberlain University has a 130-year history preparing extraordinary nursing graduates and healthcare professionals. 

    • Accreditation
    • Alumni
    • Blog
    • Chamberlain Care
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • History
    • Newsroom
    • Online Education
    • Our Vision
    • Student Consumer Information
  • Academics

    Academics

    Whether you're an aspiring nurse looking to launch a rewarding career, a nursing professional looking to advance your career, or a professional looking to impact public health, Chamberlain offers the degree programs, options and resources to help you succeed.

    • College of Nursing
      • 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Certificate Programs
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
    • College of Health Professions
      • Public Health Certificate Programs
      • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
    • Academic Resources
      • Academic Calendar
      • College Catalog
      • Curriculum Plans
  • Campus & Online

    On Campus & Online

    Interested in becoming a nurse?
    Earn your BSN at one of 23 campuses located across the country, in just 3 years

    • Campus
    • AZ - Phoenix
    • CA - Irwindale
    • CA - Sacramento
    • FL - Jacksonville
    • FL - Miramar
    • GA - Atlanta
    • IL - Addison
    • IL - Chicago
    • IL - Tinley Park
    • IN - Indianapolis
    • LA - New Orleans
    • MI - Troy
    • MO - St. Louis
    • NV - Las Vegas
    • NJ - North Brunswick
    • NC - Charlotte
    • OH - Cleveland
    • OH - Columbus
    • TX - Houston
    • TX - Irving
    • TX - Pearland
    • TX - San Antonio
    • VA - Tysons Corner
    • BSN Online Option Clinical in select states
    • Post-Licensure & Graduate
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
      • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
  • Admission & Financial Aid

    Admission & Financial Aid

    Chamberlain is committed to providing quality and accessible healthcare and nursing education. Our team is with you every step of the way, providing the information you need to make the decisions that best serve you.

    • Admission
      • Transfer Guide
      • Catalog
      • Academic Calendar
      • Military Information
    • Financial Aid
      • Tuition & Expenses
      • Types of Financial Assistance
      • Financial Forms
      • Educational Healthcare Partners
      • Loans
      • Work Study
      • Grants
      • Scholarships

Secondary Header Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info

Featured

Image of Chamberlain Care Awards graphic
Drumroll, Please: Meet the Chamberlain…
Chamberlain Care Awards picture
Recognizing Chamberlain Alumni’s…
chamberlain conversations with Karen Cox, president of chamberlain university
Chamberlain Conversations – Why Our…

Tags

Browse articles by category
Alumni
Campus News
Careers
Health Professions
Nursing Today
Tips for Students

Share

Blog Social Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • Home / Blog / / 5 Tips to Find Your First Nurse Educator Role

5 Tips to Find Your First Nurse Educator Role

January 30, 2017 by Lauren Pope
Chamberlain nurse with professor

You’ve dreamed of this: Your first classroom, where you’ll teach and mentor nursing students and guide them toward becoming highly skilled, compassionate, dedicated healthcare professionals. 

With that goal in mind, it’s time to consider your options – and what’s required for different educator positions. For example, some higher education institutions may require doctorate-level education for faculty positions, while others might help you earn your doctorate as you teach. At Chamberlain College of Nursing, faculty receive up to $50,000 in doctoral program reimbursement.

Whether teaching at an academic institution is your goal or you plan to pursue other opportunities in nursing education, here are five tips to get you started:

1. Apply for Adjunct Positions

Adjunct, or part-time, teaching positions represent the typical starting point in academia for most newly-graduated nurse educators. For some MSN grads, adjunct faculty positions are an end-goal; part-time positions allow nurse educators the ability to teach while continuing their work in a clinical setting. For others, they’re the first step toward eventually securing a highly coveted nurse faculty position. 

2. Give Your CV a New Focus

Of course, clinical experience is a must for a teaching role, but don’t forget to emphasize opportunities you’ve had to educate others beyond your regular patient teaching activities. Even if you’ve had little or no experience in formal education, your proven ability to share learning in other capacities might give you a leg up on competing job candidates. 

Have you oriented or precepted nurses? Highlight it. Even public teaching activities, such as leading CPR classes, can demonstrate your ability to communicate with and impart knowledge to others. If you’re vying for an online teaching position, be sure to include expertise you’ve developed online. 

3. Consider Experience-Boosting Opportunities

If you’re short on formal teaching experience required for a particular educator role, look for other ways to hone your abilities, such as leading NCLEX-RN review courses or academic coaching. In digital learning activities, academic coaches assist students in navigating a virtual education environment. They monitor students’ participation and progress, as well as connect students with faculty or resources as needed.

4. Prepare — Really Prepare — for an Interview

In addition to thoroughly researching a prospective employer, refine your teaching philosophy before an interview. Be specific and sincere about why you want to educate nurses, including the aspects of instructing budding RNs that most appeal to you. 

Highlight real-world experiences that have led you to teaching, and share examples of ways in which you’ve collaborated on teams and addressed difficult or challenging situations. 

Familiarize yourself with academic culture to better “talk the talk” of an educator; and be prepared for nontraditional interview arrangements, especially if you’re seeking an online instructor position. Some applicant screenings take place over the phone or through Skype, so practice to get comfortable with your computer’s camera.

5. Network, Network, Network

Join LinkedIn and other social media groups to gain further understanding of the role of nurse educators and the issues with which they grapple. 

Explore membership and participation in professional associations, such as the National League for Nursing, the Professional Nurse Educators Group, and the Association for Nursing Professional Development. Seek out faculty or alumni from your current school to gain practical advice. Ask nursing professors if you can attend their classes, in person or online, to observe their teaching styles and fine-tune your own.

Interested in becoming a nurse educator at Chamberlain College of Nursing? Explore open positions, and how we care for our faculty, at www.chamberlain.com/faculty. 

By Lauren Pope

Request More Information

To receive the Chamberlain University Program Guide, including associated career paths, please select a program of study.

Footer Social Media Navigation

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Secondary Footer Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals
Chamberlain University

Main Campus
Addison Campus
1221 North Swift Road
Addison, IL 60101 

National Management Offices
500 W. Monroe St, Suite 28
Chicago, IL 60661

Footer Menu Mobile Column 1

  • Current Students
  • Student Consumer Info
  • Alumni Association
  • Partners
  • Transfers
  • Military
  • Academic Catalog & Viewbook
  • CA BPPE Information

Footer Menu Column 1

  • Campus Locations
  • Online Programs
  • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
  • Alumni Association
  • Chamberlain Marketplace
  • Military
  • Leadership
  • Catalog & Viewbook

Footer Menu Column 2

  • Student Portal
  • Student Consumer Info
  • Accreditation
  • Parent Organization
  • CA Performance Fact Sheets
  • CA BPPE Annual Report
  • CA BPPE Website

Footer Menu Column 3

  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Online Cookie Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us
  • Accessibility
  • Student Disability Services
  • † Chamberlain University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post graduate APRN certificate programs at Chamberlain University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, (https://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE). The Chamberlain University Doctor of Nursing Practice (delivered via distance education) is accredited by the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037 (202-909-2526). Chamberlain University’s Master of Public Health Program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, www.ceph.org. For the most updated accreditation information, visit chamberlain.edu/accreditation.

    To report unresolved complaints to the Illinois Board of Higher Education visit their webpage at https://complaints.ibhe.org/ or by mail to 1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333, Springfield, IL 62701-1377. View Chamberlain's complaint process.

    Chamberlain University confers online degrees from its Main Campus in Addison, IL.

    Chamberlain University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com
    ©2022 Chamberlain University LLC. All rights reserved.