Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Nursing Instructor Traits
Nursing Instructor Traits
I
IF YOU’RE LOOKING for a career that 3. Ability to work with others. Though students about their work promotes their
can impact the future of nursing, consider it’s also significant in many other careers, confidence and skills. Today’s high-tech
becoming a nursing instructor. Because an ability to work with others is essential student uses e-mail, the Internet, cell phones,
of a serious faculty shortage, thousands to nursing faculty. If you’re a faculty and basic face-to-face communication to do
of qualified applicants have been turned member, you can have an immeasurable their learning. Using technology in the
away from nursing programs in recent impact on students. In the clinical set- classroom or online classes is a nursing
years.1 Almost three-quarters (71%) of ting, an encouraging word or a support- educator skill that’s valued by students.
nursing schools surveyed in one study ive smile go a long way. 8. Skills beyond the clinical setting.
cited faculty shortages as a reason for 4. Expertise. Although the primary As a university professor, you’ll work on
not accepting all qualified applicants.2 role of faculty is to educate, faculty mem- university committees and conduct the lat-
With such a significant need, now’s bers are also colleagues to professional est research in our field. Being connected to
the time to consider a career as a nursing nursing staff and nurses to patients. The the community and the campus are a reward-
instructor or professor. Here are eight staff expects a clinical educator to be respon- ing part of the role of university faculty.
characteristics you’ll need: sible for the care the students provide to
1. Appropriate education. Each nurs- patients and to intervene if things go awry Challenges and rewards
ing program, whether LPN, ADN, or in the unit.3 Nursing competence is criti- A career as nursing faculty can be chal-
BSN, must follow standards set by the cal to the teaching role. Nursing students lenging and rewarding. During the semes-
appropriate state nurse practice act, other come with a wide variety of experiences. ter, you’ll have obligations to students,
state regulations, and the facility or uni- Patience and understanding play a huge hospitals, and universities that can be
versity. In addition, the level of education role, but patient safety always comes first. overwhelming at times. Lecturing on
required of faculty members can vary 5. Assessment skills. Yes, your assess- campus and spending days working with
with the position. For example, class- ment skills remain important as an edu- students in the nursing units will keep
room faculty teaching students in a BSN cator too. Working with students, whether you busy. Your reward is the nursing
program need to have at least an MSN in clinical areas or in the classroom, requires students, who are striving to be their
degree. On the other hand, a BSN degree constant assessment of their learning and very best for their future patients. You’ll
may be sufficient for clinical instructors, understanding. Just as nurses must be find that mentoring a struggling student
depending on their state and their job. sure of patients’ knowledge before they’re or boosting a student’s confidence will
Some tenure-track positions require a discharged, educators must be sure that have a huge impact not only on the stu-
doctorate. students grasp the concepts of nursing dent but on yourself as well. ■
If you decide to further your education care before they care for patients. The most REFERENCES
1. Buerhaus PI, Staiger DO, Auerbach DI. The
by pursuing a higher degree, you’ll be effective educators are adept at intuiting Future of the Nursing Workforce in the United States:
mentored by nursing instructors and get students’ concerns, showing empathy, Data, Trends, and Implications. Sudbury, MA: Jones
and Bartlett Publishers; 2008.
connected to local nursing programs. and offering clearer guidance.4
2. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Fact
Going back to school for more education 6. Love of nursing. As a faculty mem- sheet: nursing faculty shortage: http://www.aacn.
may even lead to your next job! ber, you’ll need to have a clear vision of nche.edu/Media/FactSheets/FacultyShortage.htm.
2. Teaching skills. Nursing faculty teach nursing and of nursing’s value to society. 3. Oermann MH. Reflections on undergraduate
nursing education: a look to the future. Int J Nurs
critical thinking by asking questions, Students expect their clinical educator to Educ Scholarsh. 2004;1(1):Article 5. http://www.
reviewing written work, conducting clini- guide them in making observations, apply- bepress.com/ijnes/vol1/iss1/art5.
4. Gibbons C, Dempster M, Moutray M. Stress and
cal conferences, and evaluating student ing theory, reaching conclusions, selecting eustress in nursing students. J Adv Nurs. 2008;
journals. They work side by side with and performing interventions, and evaluat- 61(3):282-290.
nursing students as well as with nursing ing outcomes.5 A passion for our profession 5. O’Connor AB. Clinical Instruction and Evaluation:
A Teaching Resource. 2nd edition. Sudbury, MA:
staff. As a faculty member, you can bring makes teaching easier and more effective. Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2006.
your real-life experiences to the classroom. 7. Communication skills. Communi-
Students love to hear how theory is applied cating a positive attitude about teaching
Bridget K. Parsh is a member of the faculty for the division
in the clinical world. and learning and promptly responding to of nursing at California State University in Sacramento.