Nurse Educator Certification and Training
Nurse educators are registered nurses who teach their fellow nurses or nursing students. Find out about the graduate-level training you'll need to become a nurse educator, as well as the professional certification required.
What You Need to Know
Nurse educator training exists at the graduate level through certificate, master's and doctoral programs, to enable practicing nurses to transition into teaching in undergraduate nursing programs or continuing education courses. Voluntary certification is available.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Courses</b></td><td> Professional presence and influence, comprehensive health assessment, advanced information management, trends in nursing education, facilitating student-centered learning, curriculum design and development, assessment and evaluation strategies</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Degrees</b></td><td> Master's and doctoral degree programs in nurse education</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Certification</b></td><td> Earn certification through a specific practice or through organizations like the National League for Nursing</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---WhatNurseEducatorTrainingProgramsAreAvailable">What Nurse Educator Training Programs Are Available?</h3><p>Certificate programs can take less than a year to complete, master's degree programs typically take two years and doctoral curricula can last up to 4-5 years. The main difference between the program levels are duration and the amount of research you conduct during your studies. Admissions requirements depend on the level of education you're applying for, though most require you to earn at least a bachelor's degree in nursing and become a registered nurse.
</p><p>Many online programs are available at all academic levels. In some instances, if you already have a master's degree, you can often complete all of your courses online. However, if you're enrolling with only a bachelor's degree, you'll usually need to participate in a mentored teaching experience at the school or an affiliated institution.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatKindOfTrainingWillIReceive">What Kind of Training Will I Receive?</h3><p>Nurse educator courses introduce you to pedagogical techniques for the nursing field. You can expect to gain practical teaching experience under the guidance of a professor. In some programs, you can choose the course type you wish to teach, including online, classroom or laboratory courses. You could also participate in research projects in the field, such as restorative or preventive medicine.
</p><p>Topics covered during your study might include:
</p><ul><li>Facilitating student-centered learning
</li><li>Current trends in nursing education
</li><li>Comprehensive health assessment
</li><li>Assessment and evaluation strategies
</li><li>Curriculum development and design
</li><li>Personal influence and presence
</li><li>Advanced information management
</li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatKindOfCertificationDoINeed">What Kind of Certification Do I Need?</h3><p>Certification isn't required to become a nurse educator, though it can establish your knowledge and practice of professional standards to potential employers. You can earn certification as an educator of a specific nursing practice, such as diabetic or childbirth nursing, as well as general certification as a nurse educator through a few organizations, such as the National League for Nursing.
</p><p>To be eligible to take a certification examination, you must usually be a registered nurse, hold a master's or doctoral degree and have at least two years of practical or teaching experience. Examination questions might cover curriculum development, evaluation and instructional strategies or specific assessments and procedures encountered during nursing practice. You'll have to renew your credential by retaking the exam or completing a determined amount of continuing education. Some organizations could require that you show proof of practical experience prior to renewal.
</p><h3 id="section---HowCanIGetStarted">How Can I Get Started?</h3><p>If you're already a registered nurse, you'll be qualified to teach undergraduate nursing programs at community colleges or universities or train other registered nurses in a hospital setting once you graduate from an approved nurse educator program. Hospitals, regional associations, universities and health care organizations offer internship opportunities that provide you with mentored experience. As you advance, you may be able to create and develop improved curricula for nursing programs and professional development courses.</p>