Pros and Cons of a Career as a Clinical Nurse Educator
Clinical nurse educators oversee educational programs for nurses, patients and other clinical staff. While becoming a clinical nurse educator can be a solid professional choice, you should know what to expect in order to make an informed decision. Review the pros and cons below for more information on this career
| Pros of a Career as a Clinical Nurse Educator |
|---|
| Higher than average salary (median wage of $66,100 in May 2014)*** |
| Occupation is in demand** |
| Can choose from a variety of workplaces** |
| Training future nurses can be professionally and emotionally rewarding*** |
| Cons of a Career as a Clinical Nurse Educator |
|---|
| Must have at least a bachelor's degree (master's preferred)** |
| Must be licensed**** |
| May be exposed to diseases**** |
| Work can be physically taxing and require hours of standing**** |
Sources: *National Student Nurses' Association, **Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, ***U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Career Information
Job Description
A clinical nurse educator, sometimes called a clinical nurse specialist or nurse educator, is a specially trained registered nurse (RN) in charge of educational programs for nurses. Working as a clinical nurse educator, you may supervise student nurses or conduct educational programs for nurses at all skill levels, helping them keep up with changes in the industry.
Some clinical nurse educators instruct patients and their families about illnesses and treatment options. These educators must develop budgets and meet with administrators to obtain funding for educational programs. They may have to work various shifts in order to meet with all staff members.
Some clinical nurse educators are faculty members at schools of nursing, but most teach in the real world rather than a classroom. Pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and home health agencies hire clinical nurse educators to provide patient and staff education. Although many clinical nurse educator duties involve instruction, as RNs they may use their nursing knowledge to attend to patient needs if they work in hospitals or long-term care facilities.
Career Prospects
Nursing is a high-growth career and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicted that employment of clinical nurse educator would grow by about 19% from 2014-2024. There will be a need for clinical nurse educators to teach new nurses.
Salary Information
In May 2014 the BLS reported that most nurse educators earned a salary between $51,000 and $85,000. The best-paid nurse instructors lived in Massachusetts, Alaska, Rhode Island, California, and New Jersey.
What Are the Requirements?
Before you can pursue a career as a clinical nurse education, you will need to complete training to become an RN, as well as complete a bachelor's program in nursing and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Licensure requirements vary from state to state.
While many clinical nurse educators have a bachelor's degree, employers are increasingly requiring a master's degree. Nursing schools offer master's degree programs for clinical nurse specialists and nurse educators, which includes courses such as advanced physiology, health assessment, healthcare leadership and the role of the CNS.
Students may get the opportunity to specialize in areas like critical care or gerontology, as well as focus on clinical practice. Nurses who already hold a master's or doctoral degree in nursing can earn a nurse educator certificate from some nursing schools.
Useful Skills
In addition to holding a degree, clinical nurse educators must have a broad base of knowledge in nursing and be able to convey that information to others at varying levels of knowledge and skill. They must be flexible and creative, as well as have sound leadership skills. Clinical nurse educators should understand education theory and have a love for teaching.
What Employers Want
A look at job postings shows the diversity of workplaces for a clinical nurse educator. Regardless of the setting, employers are looking for someone with nursing experience. Degree requirements vary, with some employers requiring a graduate degree, while others look for applicants with a bachelor's degree. Here's a sampling of job postings from real employers in April 2012:
- A corporation in Texas is seeking a clinical nurse educator to work with the nurses in its senior communities. The clinical nurse educator would design programs to improve the nursing staff's skills as well as implement quality control measures and ensure that the facility complied with federal and state regulations.
- In Pennsylvania, a biotechnology company is seeking a clinical nurse educator to work with healthcare providers and patients on using the company's product and managing side effects. The clinical nurse educator would meet with business managers in healthcare providers' offices. The job requires five years of clinical experience, three years experience as a clinical nurse educator or a pharmaceutical sales person and a year of experience in home health care.
- A children's home in Pennsylvania is looking for a clinical nurse educator with 5-7 years of pediatric or neonatal nursing experience. This person would evaluate the needs of the staff and design educational programs to address them. The nurse educator would also assist with complex technical nursing care problems.
- A company in the Midwest is looking for a clinical nurse educator with at least three years of nursing experience to train and talk with hemophilia patients and their caregivers. The job involves travel between several states. Fluency in English and Spanish is desired.
How to Stand Out in the Field
While becoming a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is not a mandatory step for working as a clinical nurse educator, earning a master's degree in this field could open up more job opportunities and chances for advancement. A CNS chooses a specialty area, such as pulmonary care, cardiac care or obstetrics.
A CNS/CE can obtain certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACCN), depending on the specialty. If you work as a clinical nurse educator for a school of nursing, after a few years of experience you can take the National League of Nursing (NLN) certification examination and become a Certified Nurse Educator.
Other Career Options
If you enjoy teaching, but don't relish shift work and physical strain, you might want to consider a career as an academic nurse educator. Academic nurse educators teach at nursing schools in their specialty area. They need at least a master's degree and probably a doctoral degree in order to gain tenure and earn promotion to full professorships. Some schools offer baccalaureate-to-Ph.D. programs for nurses who want to get into academia.
Of course, as an RN you have a choice of many alternatives. You can specialize in various types of nursing, such as pediatrics, cardiovascular or nephrology. Advanced practice nurses have additional training in specific areas and can prescribe medicine in most states. In 2011, the BLS reported that the average salary for all registered nurses, regardless of specialty, was $69,000.
