1. Nurse Educator Role Presentation
Ferris State University
NURS 500
Karen Collins, RN, BSN
Hello, and welcome. My name is Karen Collins and I was asked to speak to you today on the role of the Nurse Educator and how this role will affect the nurse for whom English is an additional language.
English as a second language

2. Objectives
To explain the historical evolution of the role of the Nurse Educator
To comprehend the focus of the Nurse Educator
To understand the scope of practice of the Nurse Educator
To review the competencies the Nurse Educator relies on
To learn of the practice environments of the Nurse Educator
To be familiar with the Nurse Educator practice outcomes
To explore the vision of the future
These are our objectives for today.

3. Historical Evolution of Nursing
Florence Nightingale
First nursing school –New England Hospital 1872
Hospital setting to college setting
Training to education
Advanced roles
The historical evolution of nursing started with Florence Nightingale. In she had two goals: one to reform the army sanitary practices and two to establish a school for nurses. The first nursing school in America was the New England Hospital in Nursing studies at the college level began in Community college programs were added in Simply training nurses in hospitals transformed into the education of conditions and diseases. Through further education the bedside nurse may become an advanced practice registered nurse. These are the certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), the certified nurse midwife (CNM), the clinical nurse specialist (CNS), and the nurse practitioner (NP). On a different tract, the nurse pursuing a specialty role may become choose to focus on administration, informatics, or education. The focus of this presentation is on the Nurse Educator.

4. Focus of the Nurse Educator
Advanced specialty role within professional nursing
In-service Education
Continuing Education
Research and Scholarship
Career Development
Nurse Educators are responsible for designing, implementing, evaluating and revising academic and continuing education programs for nurses. The curriculum is ever-changing, based on research findings and current trends. These programs may be formal (think nursing school) with college or educational credits offered, or informal, for example, updating staff on a new procedure or new piece of equipment. The Nurse Educator is a registered nurse who has advanced his or her education. The nurse educator working in a clinical setting must have at least a bachelor’s degree. Those working in the academic arena, must hold a master’s degree. A doctoral degree is needed to be promoted into the upper academic ranks.

5. Scope of Practice Evidence based learning Continues to evolve
Supports the vision of quality health care
In the practice environment
In the learning environment
The scope of practice for the nurse educator continues to evolve. The nurse educator utilizes evidence based research and incorporates it into evidence based practice. The vision of quality health care in the practice environment creates practice behaviors. Practice environments include hospitals, clinics, and home health settings to name a few. The learning environment is any location where learning occurs, conferences, classrooms, simulation labs, etc. Technology is used to support the teaching-learning-evaluation process.

6. Competencies Core competencies of Nurse Educators include:
Facilitate learning
Facilitate learner development and socialization
Use assessment and evaluation strategies
Participate in curriculum design and evaluation program outcomes
Function as a change agent and leader
Pursue continuous quality improvement
Engage in scholarship
Function within the educational environment
National League for Nursing (2005). The Scope of Practice for Academic Nurse Educators. New York: National League for Nursing.
The addition of nurse educator competencies is a huge boost to nursing education and the profession of nursing. Due to the aging nursing population, and the nursing shortage, there are few nurses who are prepared to assume the educator roles in the future. These competencies can be used to design the curriculum for the masters and above level programs. It is not expected that every nurse educator is competent in every aspect; rather these should be used as a framework. And these came right from the National League for Nursing.

7. Practice Environments
Hospitals
Long-term care facilities
2 and 4 year colleges/universities
Clinics
Technical schools
Nurse Educators work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, 2 and 4 year colleges and universities, home health care agencies, technical schools, clinics, or as an on-line instructor utilizing distance technology. Nurse Educators may work full or part time.

8. Practice Environments ~continued
Traditional vs Non-traditional
Traditional environments include hospitals and colleges and universities. Non-traditional practice environments would include the on-line courses. I obtained my BSN through on-line courses offered by Ferris State University. The traditional, going to school 3-4 days a week did not work out with my work schedule, so I chose the on-line route. Computer based learning activities and simulations are increasing in use.

9. Practice Outcomes
Uses evidence-based research for evidenced-based practice
Maintains competencies as outlined by the NLN
Retention of nurses
Mentors colleagues and students in their own professional development
Evaluates practices for safety, effectiveness, timeliness, and patient and family centered care
The nurse educator continues to focus on evidenced based information. They should maintain their competencies as outlined by the NLN. They mentor nurses, colleagues, and students to fulfill their own professional dreams. They inspire others to want to return to the classroom for learning initially, then as teachers. They serve as role models of professional nursing.

10. What this Means for you WHAT IS MY FUTURE?
Many nursing students who speak English as a second language have not realized their full potential and career goals. Studies have shown that members of minorities are more likely to seek services from and follow the health care advice of minority providers. The low numbers of minority nursing faculty is in relation to the decreased numbers of minority RNs with advanced nursing education. Minority faculty is currently less than 11% based on numbers in The National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice challenged the nursing community to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation of minority nursing students and to promote minority nurse leadership.

11. Learn the past, watch the present, and create the future ~ anonymous
Vision for the Future
Learn the past, watch the present, and create the future
~ anonymous
As we move forward, I encourage you to find a mentor. Someone who will help you with your dreams. Due to the nursing shortages, and subsequently, faculty for teaching nursing students, furthering your education, will only benefit you and the nursing profession as a whole.

12. Summary Many challenges
Diversity among healthcare students is increasing as the population of the United States changes.
Only 13% of all RNs hold master’s or doctoral degrees
Minority faculty currently at less than 11%
Stanley, J. (2007). Changing the face of nursing faculty: Minority faculty recruitment and retention. Journal of Professional Nursing (23) 5,
The challenges that face nursing education are many. It is critical that the nursing profession address the need for more nursing educators. The healthcare system depends on qualified instructors to teach and produce qualified nurses. Nurse educators are seeing older nursing students, increasing numbers of nursing students with ethnic and racial diversity, and patients who are older and more ill. The nurse educator creates opportunities for learning, in the clinical and academic fields. The nurse educator needs to shows enthusiasm for teaching, learning, and nursing that inspires and motivates nursing students. The nurse educator utilizes evidence based teaching. Increased numbers of nurse educators are needed, especially those with English as an additional language. I encourage each of you to further your education, whether you aspire to finish your BSN, or work towards your Master’s degree tracking into administration, informatics or the field of the Nurse educator.

13. Questions? ?????????? Are there any questions?
Thank you for having me here tonight. If you do have questions at a later time, I can be reached at

14. References
Billings, D., & Halstead, J. A. (2009). Teaching in Nursing; A Guide for Faculty. St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders/Elsevier.
Duphily, N. (2011). From clinician to academic: The impact of culture on faculty retention in nursing education. Online Journal of Cultural Competence in Nursing and Healthcare, (1) 3,
Heller, B. R.-C. (n.d.). National League for Nursing. Retrieved September 5, 2011, from National League for Nursing-Publications:
National League for Nursing (2005). The Scope of Practice for Academic Nurse Educators. New York: National League for Nursing.
Scheele, T., Pruitt, R., Johnson, A., & Xu, Y. (2011). What do we know about educating Asian ESL nursing students? Nursing Education Perspectives (32) 4,
Stanley, J. (2007). Changing the face of nursing faculty: Minority faculty recruitment and retention. Journal of Professional Nursing,
Starr, K. (2009). Nursing education challenges: Students with English as an additional language. Journal of Nursing Education (48) 9,
Here are the references I used today.