subject: Nurse Educators Provide Valuable Insight And Experience To A New Generation Of Nurses! [print this page] There comes a time when nurses think about hanging up the scrubs and stethoscope and see how normal people live. They're just tired of the 12-hour shifts, aching corns and bad back. Still, there's that nagging desire to somehow stay involved in one way or another and schools for nursing can offer some definite options.
As the world knows, there's an extreme shortage of nurses out there. Someone has to train the next generation for this screaming need. Experience has taught the industry that the best teachers are those who have practical experience in the profession. This solution ends up being a lot better than being found pounding hospital floors long after others have gotten a condo in Florida. If you need more information about schools of nursing, look on the internet.
The solution is for the nurse to go back to school to become a Nurse Educator. Apparently there is as big a need for teachers as there is for those who are just entering the field in the many positions required. Educators tend to work in what is called a "post-secondary school - in other words, a college environment. What this means is usually teaching class 12 to 16 hours a week, grading and paperwork for a similar number of hours, and then going home. That's a lot more conducive to those who are tired of patrolling a hospital floor. Further, the salaries can be as good as nursing itself.
Becoming a nurse educator requires a few years of further learning. Nurses do have a huge leg up in that they already have a Bachelors degree, state certification and experience. Pretty much the one thing a nurse educator definitely needs from a practical point is some clinical experience, but that can be made up for while learning the other things needed.
From there, the best course of action is to contact several online colleges, find out which ones offer the nurse education specialty. As said before, this field is suffering from a shortage sp be sure to see about financial aid. Don't be surprised if one can get fellowships and/or grants from both the medical and the teaching community. There is an abundance of information about top nursing schools on the web.
Because the student is walking in with a few years of actual nursing experience, course concentration will be in education. It will take about two years to obtain Masters. It can take longer if it's done through a work-study program. If one wants to work for a university or hospital-university setting, he or she will sooner or later have to get a PhD for a full professorship. Many others will find situations where a teaching certificate and Masters will suffice.
Salaries do vary. The primary reason for this is some educators like to still walk the floor and do both as part-time jobs. Others feel may opt just to relax and only teach part time. Overall nurse educators make about $65,000 a year. They can pull over $100,000 if they become tenured, full-time professors.
