How Can I Become an IV Instructor?
Explore the career requirements for IV instructors. Get the facts about education and certification requirements, salary, and potential job growth to determine if this is the right career for you.
What Is an IV Instructor?
IV instructors are certified nurse educators who have a specialization in IV procedures and teach other nurses this specialty. They may offer courses in colleges, universities, technical schools or hospitals. In addition to instructing nursing students, they may also attend conferences and read academic journal articles in order to make sure that they remain current with trends in the nursing field, including innovative IV administration technologies and/or techniques. They may also serve on school steering committees. The table below lists some key facts for a career in this field.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Required</b></td><td> Associate or bachelor's degree; master's degree to become certified</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Education Field of Study</b></td><td> Nursing</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Certification</b></td><td> Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) certification</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Key Responsibilities</b></td><td> Teach other nurses how to insert IV catheters, administer drip medications, use different draw lines, and follow safety precautions</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Growth (2020-2030) </b></td><td> 23% (for all nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary)*</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)</b></td><td> $75,470 (for all nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatWouldIDoAsAnIVInstructor">What Would I Do As an IV Instructor?</h3><p>If you're already an RN with a specialization in IV procedures, you could teach other nurses how to administer drip medications. You'll instruct and demonstrate to nursing students how to correctly insert an IV catheter and set the proper drip rate, approach different draw lines, operate IV equipment and follow safety precautions. You might also cover appropriate patient care and infection control procedures.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatSkillsDoINeed">What Skills Do I Need?</h3><p>You must have experience with the specialized pharmaceuticals and equipment used by IV nurses to be able to teach a variety of infusion and monitoring methods. You'll be responsible for designing your classroom curriculum and planning demonstrations with the necessary equipment. You'll also need general nursing knowledge in order to provide comprehensive, hands-on instruction and tutorials.
</p><h3 id="section---HowDoIPrepareForThisCareer">How Do I Prepare For This Career?</h3><p>In order to teach IV nursing, you first need to become an RN. This step requires that you earn an associate or bachelor's degree in nursing. These programs could include some instruction in IV administration, though you'll primarily learn general nursing skills. Once you graduate, you'll need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) in order to obtain a state license and become an RN.
</p><p>As an RN, you can consider additional training in IV therapy through an academic program or nurse fellowship. Once you become proficient, you can choose to demonstrate your expertise by earning the Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI) credential through the Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation. Though certification isn't required, it does establish your competence in fluid therapy, drip pharmaceuticals and transfusion procedures to potential employers and students.
</p><h3 id="section---DoINeedATeachingLicense">Do I Need a Teaching License?</h3><p>At the training level of an IV educator, you won't need state licensure to teach. However, in order to show your professionalism and commitment to nursing education, you could consider obtaining a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) certification through the National League for Nursing (<i>www.nln.org</i>). The credential is available to RN nurses who show commitment to higher education. You'll first need to earn a master's degree in nursing or a related field and have two years of full-time teaching experience.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatAreSomeRelatedAlternativeCareers">What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?</h3><p>As a nursing instructor, you may choose to specialize in a different nursing subfield, such as obstetrics. In this position, you would teach aspiring nurses about offering care for women and newborns during and after pregnancy and labor. Alternatively, if you would rather work as a practicing nurse instead of a nurse educator, you could consider becoming a nurse anesthetist. These advanced practice nurses specialize in administering anesthesia during surgery and other procedures. You would need to earn a master's degree and pass a licensure exam for this job. There are numerous other advanced practice nursing roles at the master's level, including nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner.</p>