A Nurse Educator’s Role in the Future of Nursing
Written by:
University of Tulsa
• Sep 14, 2023
Well-trained nurses are essential for positive health outcomes. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) — a national voice for nursing education in the U.S. — states that nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree possess the necessary qualifications to deliver high-quality patient care.
Specifically, AACN highlights how BSN education equips nurses with skills in health promotion, case management, critical thinking, and other relevant competencies, making them a valuable asset in various inpatient and outpatient settings.
A nurse educator’s role in instructing nurses in both academic and clinical settings is crucial to ensuring that health care organizations can maintain high standards of care. However, the ongoing shortage of nurses in the U.S. health care system has been accompanied by a shortage of nurse educators.
Anyone who may be considering enrolling in an advanced nursing degree program and hopes to educate nurses can benefit from learning more about the role nurse educators play in health care.
The Demand for Nurses and Nurse Educators
A shortage of nurses continues to challenge the U.S. health care system. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there’ll be more than 189,000 openings for registered nurses (RNs) each year through 2034. The BLS attributes the relatively high number of openings to factors such as:
- Need to replace nurses who retire or leave the profession
- Growing demand for health care services from an aging population
A corresponding shortage of nurse educators has made it difficult to educate aspiring nurses who are looking to fill open positions. According to AACN’s 2023-2024 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing report, 65,766 qualified applicants for baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs were turned away in 2023 due to insufficient resources. Nurse educators are in short supply, as are classroom space, clinical sites, clinical preceptors, and budgets.
According to the AACN, the shortage of nursing school faculty is due to factors such as:
- Faculty retirement
- Faculty moving into clinical roles with higher compensation
- Limited pool of nurse educator candidates from master’s and doctoral programs
An influx of nurses is required to offset the shortage; however, that problem can’t be resolved until nurse educator demand is met. Exploring a nurse educator’s role can help those who aspire to enter the health care field decide whether academia is the right path for them.
Nurse Educator’s Role in an Academic Setting
Nurse educators who teach at nursing schools have numerous instruction-related responsibilities and duties, including:
-
Providing direct classroom instruction to nursing students
-
Offering clinical instruction when nursing students work at clinical sites
-
Developing nursing school curriculum
-
Advising nursing students
Nurse educators at academic institutions focus on ensuring that students acquire knowledge in several domains that AACN has identified, including topics such as:
-
Knowledge of nursing practice
-
Person-centered care
-
Population health
-
Nursing scholarship
-
Quality and safety in nursing
Research Responsibilities of Nurse Educators
A nurse educator’s role also entails conducting research to advance nursing practice and integrating the results of their research into student instruction. Conducting research is important for many reasons. For example, the ANA Enterprise — which comprises the American Nurses Association, American Nurses Credentialing Center, and American Nurses Foundation — has noted the importance of nursing research to:
-
Enhancing health care access
-
Improving safety and quality of care
-
Promoting the health and well-being of nurses
Research also plays an important role in incorporating new technologies and interventions into nursing practice, helping clinicians be more efficient and effective in their role.
A Nurse Educator’s Role in a Clinical Setting
Nurse educators can serve in education and training roles in clinical settings, such as hospitals and other health care facilities. In those settings, a nurse educator’s role is to help ensure that members of the nursing staff are competent to carry out their duties. This entails several responsibilities, such as:
-
Identifying the types of training and professional development that a health care organization’s nurses need
-
Coordinating nursing staff development activities
-
Training nursing staff on updates to nursing procedures
-
Instructing nursing staff on changes to treatment guidelines
-
Working with nursing managers to organize and schedule training sessions
In clinical settings, nurse educators may also be responsible for:
-
Onboarding new nursing staff
-
Updating a health care organization’s nursing policies and procedures
-
Coordinating with management on how to meet strategic goals related to nursing staff
Benefits of Effective Education for Nurses
A nurse educator’s role as a mentor yields numerous benefits for students, such as:
-
Improved clinical confidence and a sense of self-assurance
-
Higher retention rates by fostering belonging and professional growth
-
Enhanced patient safety by helping nurses avoid errors and follow best practices
-
Accelerated skill development and knowledge retention
-
Better preparation for nurses to qualify for educator and advanced practice roles
-
Positive workplace culture fostered through supportive relationships
Becoming a Nurse Educator
Joining a nursing school’s faculty typically requires earning at least a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). In addition, nursing schools may require faculty members to hold a doctoral degree in nursing, for example, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or a PhD in Nursing.
Nurse educators can earn relevant certifications, such as those from the National League for Nursing (NLN):
-
Certified Nurse Educator (CNE)
-
Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator (CNEcl)
-
Certified Novice Nurse Educator (CNEn)
Additional certifications that can help enhance a nurse educator’s skill set — and demonstrate their credibility to potential employers — include:
-
American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC)
-
Competency & Credentialing Institute’s Nursing Professional Development Advanced – Board Certified (NPDA-BC)
Making a Difference in the Future of Nursing
Whether they work in academic or clinical settings, nurse educators make lasting contributions to the future of nursing. Educating nurses to provide quality health care using the latest procedures can be a rewarding endeavor for nurses who want to give back to the profession they love.
If you want to take on a role as a nurse educator, explore The University of Tulsa’s online MSN degree program to learn how it can help you become an effective educator and leader. With three specialty tracks, including one focused on nursing education, the program can be a springboard to a fulfilling career as an instructor on a timeline that works for you.
Start working toward your career goals today.
Recommended Readings
Everything You Need to Know About the Oklahoma Board of Nursing
How an MSN Can Improve Nurse Retention
How to Practice Clinical Judgment in Nursing
Sources:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Nursing Faculty Shortage Fact Sheet
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice
American Nurses Association, Shaping Future Healthcare: The Path to Becoming a Nurse Educator
American Nurses Credentialing Center, Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC)
American Nurses Enterprise, ANE Research Priorities
Competency & Credentialing Institute, Nursing Professional Development Advanced – Board Certified
Indeed, Learn About Being a Nurse Educator
National League for Nursing, Certification for Nurse Educators
