Nurse Educator

"Nursing education is a dynamic field that is experiencing the challenges of a nursing faculty shortage, increasingly sophisticated technologies, and the stimulation of a diverse student population" (National League for Nursing, 2005).The nurse educator (NE) program and post-master's certificate program at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSM) is dedicated to developing nurse educators who advance nursing clinical practice, education and research in academic and practice settings. NEs practice in academic and clinical settings. Academic nurse educators (NEs) are licensed registered professional nurses prepared at the graduate level, who are expert in facilitating learning through curriculum design, teaching, evaluation, advisement, and other activities undertaken by faculty in schools of nursing. Academic nursing is a specialty area and an advanced practice role within professional nursing (National League for Nursing, 2005). Preparing students in a practice discipline requires specialized knowledge and advanced education. NEs practicing in clinical settings are responsible for addressing the learning needs of professional staff and may be unit or system-based.

Core competencies supported as preparation for the NE (National League for Nursing, 2005) guide the curriculum for the nurse educator student. They are as follows:

• Competency I: Facilitate Learning
• Competency II: Facilitate Learner Development and Socialization
• Competency III: Use Assessment and Evaluation Strategies
• Competency IV: Participate in Curriculum Design and Evaluation of Program Outcomes
• Competency V: Function as a Change Agent and Leader
• Competency VI: Pursue Continuous Quality Improvement in the Nurse Educator Role
• Competency VII: Engage in Scholarship
• Competency VIII: Function within the Educational Environment

Graduate faculty have used the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) document, The Essentials of Master's Education for Advanced Practice Nursing and The Scope of Practice for Academic Nurse Educators (NLN, 2005) to guide curriculum development in the NE Program. The graduate student preparing for certification as a Nurse Educator acquires the background for this advanced practice in nursing through the Nursing Science Component Courses, the Advanced Practice Component Courses and Supportive Fields Courses.

Graduate students pursuing the Master of Science (MS) degree award in the 52 credit NE program are supported in their developing role through an interdisciplinary curriculum. Student complete courses in the College of Education and the College of Allied Health and nursing to form the foundation for the NE practicum experience. During the two practicum courses the student gains advanced practice knowledge, competencies, and skills in didactic settings (NURS 637 Practicum in Didactic Teaching) and clinical settings (NURS 638 Practicum in Clinical Teaching). Nurse educators prepared at the graduate level are able to contribute to the advancement of nursing practice and the discipline of nursing.

Upon completing the requirements of the Master of Science (MS) and after the conferring of the degree, students are eligible to take national certifying examinations as nurse educators through the National League for Nursing. For more information on the NE role, you may also choose to access the website of the www.nln.org.