Nurse instructors are registered nurses (RNs) who teach nursing curriculum and clinical skills. Also known as nursing educators, these RNs have several years of bedside nursing experience and education beyond a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). They are faculty of collegiate nursing programs as well as teaching hospitals. Nurse instructors are also employed in hospitals to provide ongoing training to other professionals.
What Does a Nurse Instructor Do?
Nursing instructors are responsible for preparing their students to safely care for patients. Successfully doing so requires professional nursing experience, additional training in teaching, and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities. Some daily tasks of nurse instructors include:
Preparing lesson plans as part of a curriculum
Lecturing in person or online
Teaching and monitoring student nurses during clinical hours
Demonstrating nursing skills to students
Hosting office hours to meet with students individually
Evaluating and coaching students
Developing curriculum as part of a team
Maintaining continuing education requirements
Some nurse instructors also choose to continue practicing at the bedside while teaching. Nursing instructors who only work with students during their clinical experiences are often part-time faculty employees. Full-time faculty members often supervise clinical experiences and teach classes.
Most nursing instructors teach subjects that reflect the nursing specialty they worked in as a bedside nurse. For example, experienced pediatric nurses would teach pediatric nursing classes and clinical experiences. Nurse instructors with years of patient care experience are often able to provide tangible examples of nursing care that make their teaching even more impactful.
Clinical nurse instructors are responsible for four to ten student nurses on a unit at a time. The students build independence after shadowing other RNs, but the clinical instructor always gives medications with the students and checks their communication and charting. Nurse instructors may also teach and demonstrate clinical skills in a lab setting, where students use mannequins and medical teaching devices.
The title of nurse instructor is also used in hospitals to refer to a staff member who oversees continuing education, provides instruction on new devices, orients new staff, and serves as an ongoing resource for bedside RNs. Each specialty in a hospital may have their own nurse instructor. Nursing instructors in hospitals and other institutions are often part of their unit’s leadership team.
How Much Does a Nurse Instructor Make Per Year?
Nurse instructors reported a median annual wage of $75,470 in 2020, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Median refers to the middle; half of nurse instructors made more than this in 2020, and half made less. Most nurse instructors are employed at colleges, universities, or other professional schools. These nursing instructors reported an annual mean wage of $84,320.
The highest-paying sector for nurse instructors was reported as medical and surgical hospitals, where nurse instructors earned an annual mean wage of $119,050. Nurse instructors will note that pay varies by experience and location as well. Regional differences can be marked, varying by over $50,000 between states. In general, nurse instructors will have higher wages in metropolitan areas and in coastal states.
Most nursing instructors work within nursing programs at colleges and universities. As these nurse instructors commonly have a combination role of lecturer and bedside nursing instructor, they balance classroom hours with nursing shifts, sometimes 12 hours long with students. Nurse instructors also hold office hours, grade students’ work, and meet other faculty requirements. While many of these commitments are scheduled during business hours, work tasks may extend to the evening and weekends.
Nurse instructors employed by hospitals are often part of the unit’s management team and work closely with leaders to align education goals with regulatory requirements. Generally, their tasks can be completed within business hours. Nurse instructors may also work four days a week in ten-hour shifts. As part of the management team, nurse instructors are often required to take rotating on-call hours to assist staff as needed with questions or to help with bedside care. Nurse instructors are expected to maintain their own bedside nursing skills as well to be ready to help as needed.
How Do I Become A Nurse Instructor?
The first step in becoming a nurse instructor is to attend nursing school and earn RN certification. Nursing program options include associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, though a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is becoming the industry standard and will be required to teach. During nursing school, a student nurse interested in teaching would do well to connect with teachers and learn more about their roles and pathways to teaching. Faculty members may also provide future recommendation letters and professional connections as well. After completing a nursing program, student nurses are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam. After passing, the RN must then apply to the state board of nursing where they wish to practice. Application requirements include a federal background check and a fee.
RNs then gain experience at the bedside caring for patients. RNs who want to teach may earn optional certifications in their specialty. These certifications demonstrate their knowledge and commitment to education, and increase the strength of their employment or advanced training applications.
Most nurse instructors have a master’s or doctoral degree obtained either prior to or during their employment as an instructor. Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs can be completed full or part-time and take as little as 18 months or up to 3 years or more. Nurse instructors may also pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). DNP programs are 18 months to four years, depending on part-time or full-time student status. Nursing instructors may instead pursue a Doctor of Nursing Philosophy, commonly known as a Ph.D. in Nursing. This is best suited for RNs in education and research. MSN, DNP, and Ph.D. programs offer different tracks, or specialties, that students select prior to admission. A nurse instructor may choose a curriculum focused on nursing education or on the specialty they wish to continue working in and teaching.
Certification as a nurse instructor is not required by employers, but demonstrates a standardized level of knowledge and may make candidates more competitive. Two current options offered by the National League for Nursing are the Certification for Nurse Educators (CNE) and the Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Certification (CNEcl). Eligibility for examination is based on a combination of education and experience.
What Are the Benefits of Being A Nurse Instructor?
As the demand for bedside nursing continues to grow, the demand for nursing instructors will also grow. Experienced RNs capable of teaching others will always be needed. RNs interested in becoming nursing instructors also have the opportunity to pursue the highest levels of education in nursing.
In addition to educating the next generation of nurses, nurse instructors can also pursue careers in writing textbooks or educational materials, managing and creating curricula for other nurse instructors, and developing and teaching continuing education with major organizations. Nursing instructors are able to continue working with patients directly or indirectly while also advancing their careers, mentoring students, and growing the profession of nursing.
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