The number of nursing students is increasing to meet the needs of a growing field. Subsequently, the need for more nursing instructors is growing as well. While specific requirements vary from area to area, there are certain standards required of all nursing instructors.
Education
Nursing instructors are required to have the same education of a nurse. Most jobs will require educators to have a master's degree, though some prefer a doctorate for full-time faculty. There are master's programs specifically geared toward nurse educators.
Credentials
Instructors typically must have and maintain a current license as a registered nurse with clinical experience in order to teach nursing students. They must also meet continuing education requirements similar to those of all practicing nurses.
Knowledge Requirements
Nursing instructors need to have a wide range of knowledge in order to educate the nurses of tomorrow. At a minimum, they must have a working knowledge of training, English language, medicine, dentistry, psychology, biology, sociology, anthropology, therapy, counseling, customer and personal service, mathematics, and public safety and security.
Skill Requirements
Educators need to meet skill requirements in reading comprehension, instructing, speaking, active listening, writing, critical thinking, science, active learning, monitoring and time management.
Ability Requirements
Instructors also need to have a certain level of skill in various abilities, including oral and written expression, speech clarity, written and oral comprehension, inductive and deductive reasoning, problem sensitivity, near vision and speech recognition.
Tags: must have, need have, Nursing instructors, nursing instructors, nursing students