Nurse educators help shape the future for nursing students through their primary role as faculty advisers in nursing programs. Nurse educators create the curricula of nursing programs in which a certificate or degree is the goal, as well as programs that are focused on professional and/or educational development in which a degree or certificate is not sought.
Currently nurse educators are in high demand in the United States. More than 40,000 qualified applicants were not accepted to nursing programs last year because of a deficit of nurse educators to teach these potential future nurses.
More nurse educators are dividing their professional schedules between clinical and academic settings, continuing the advancement of their practical nursing skills, while maintaining a part-time teaching or advising position on the faculty of a nursing program.
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The typical daily routine for a nurse educator consists substantially of class preparation, giving lectures, advising students, grading papers, attending faculty meetings and staying up-to-date with trends in the constantly evolving nursing field.
Average compensation for a nurse educator is $71,297; however, this figure varies based on clinical and teaching experience. Other variables that influence compensation are location and the academic credentials of the nurse educator.
Challenges associated with being a nurse educator involve pressure to consistently publish and/or conduct research and speak at scientific conferences. Many nurse educators find preparing nursing students for their professional futures rewarding.
Jennifer Leeper is a freelance medical writer.
