Nursing Education Career Interview

This interview segment focuses on one of many nursing careers, nursing education. Find out if this nursing field is the one for you or check out more nurse career interview segments for nursing students offered in the members' area.

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From Episode 56 of the Nursing Show

Tip of the Week — Nurse Educator Interview

Below is part of the discussion in this interview segment between Christy Dryer, director of Cecil College ADN program and Jamie Davis, the Podmedic, discussion how to get started in nursing education.

Jamie Davis: “So we have a shortage of nursing faculty I guess because so many schools are trying to ramp up their programs to meet demands for new nurses and there just aren’t enough faculty members, either as preceptors or as lecturing staff. What do you say to those nurses that may be on the fence about whether this is something that’s for them? Is there a way that they can dip their feet in the water and kind of get an idea if education is a track that they can attempt?”

Christy Dryer: “Try it. That’s all I have to say is try it. You’ll know very quickly whether you like it or not. You know, I do want to add too there’s a shortage not only because of nursing programs trying to increase enrollment — because many are — but there’s also a shortage just because there’s a shortage of nurses. And if there’s a shortage of nurses, that translates into a shortage of faculty.

And I have to tell you too, not to be whining because I’m not — I would not change what I do — part of what’s contributing to the shortage in faculty is the capacity of MSN and doctoral programs, because you have to have your master’s degree in many instances, or your doctoral degree. And there’s not a lot of faculty for those programs. In addition, faculty salaries have not caught up to clinician salaries. So if I want to go for my master’s degree and spend all that time and money and energy, what I’m going to make when I’m a practicing NP or clin spec is going to be a lot more than I’m going to make as a nursing educator. That’s a downside, so that’s also impacting it.

Now, salaries are catching up across the country as everyone’s realizing we have to have plenty of qualified, competent nursing faculty to have qualified, competent nurses. So it’s starting to catch up. But all of that has been — years gone by it’s contributed to the shortage of faculty.

I would say if you’re interested in teaching, try it. I would try precepting if you’re fairly new to it to see if you actually like mentoring at all; it gives you some idea of what teaching’s like. And try it. You’ll know very quickly. Try a semester of clinical teaching; you’ll love it or hate it.”

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Segment Transcript with Links in PDF

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Nursing Education Career Interview MP3 (click to play or use download link below)

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