Overview of Nursing Education

Type: Discussion Post

Subject: Nursing and Allied Health NURS 7713

Subject area: Nursing

Education Level: Undergraduate/College

Length: 3 pages

Referencing style: APA

Preferred English: US English

Spacing Option: Double

Instructions: Overview of Nursing Education:

1. History of Nursing Education in the United States
2. Curriculum Development and Approval Processes in Changing Educational Environments
3. Respond to the Discussion Board questions with a substantive answer using a minimum of two references for each Board posting beyond your text book.  In addition, respond to at least two fellow students’ postings for each discussion forum.  Each Discussion Board assignment is worth a total of 10% (i.e. eight points for your response and two points for your response to another student’s posting) towards the final grade. Please post your answers to the discussion questions halfway through the discussion time so that your fellow students will have time to respond with thoughtful answers.  Be sure to refer to the Discussion Board Rubric for grading posted in course documents. Following this rubric will ensure a good grade. Late submissions of answers and responses will not be accepted and will result in a grade of “0”.

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Also Read: Best Nursing Discussion Posts Help For Students

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Discussion #4

Whether it is important for nurse educators in the practice setting and nursing schools to have graduate degrees? 

Nursing as a profession is very demanding but attracts individuals pursuing a profession in a discipline with solid growth.  The demand that comes with being a nurse compels some nurses to specialize in nursing education. Nurse educators working in practice and classroom setting are required to prepare the next generation of nurses to meet a rapidly evolving healthcare sector’s demands. For instance, nurse educators should prepare nurses to meet the distinct patients’ needs, advance science that enhances health professionals’ capacity to deliver quality and safe patient care, and assume leadership roles in the healthcare sector (National Academy of Sciences, 2011).  

Additionally, nurse educators are expected to modify nursing education to enhance graduate nurses’ competence in working effectively and collaborating with other healthcare workers in a healthcare system that is evolving and complex. Additionally, nurse educators should enhance the smooth transition of entry-level nurses into the nursing profession. Also, graduate programs are necessary for advanced practice registered nurses to assume various roles in long-term care, acute care, primary care, and specialty practices. Therefore, nursing educators in the practice setting and the schools of nursing should have graduate degrees.

Why Nursing Educators need to have Graduate Degrees

Graduate prepared nurses provide patients with  an advanced level of care,  teach in classroom settings and online, engage in research, lead healthcare systems, influence public policy, apply the evidence-based practice, and partner with corporations to transform the healthcare sector. Graduate nurses fill emerging roles in various practice areas like genomics/genetics, geriatrics, systems improvement, forensics, informatics, administration, public health, and pediatrics (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, n.d). Therefore, a graduate degree is necessary for nurse educators to drive changes in rapidly transforming healthcare. For instance, an aging population and an increasingly diverse patient population require nurse educators to adequately prepare graduate nurses to serve in specialty roles and primary care and work independently (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, n.d).  In this context, a graduate degree prepares nurse educators to assume advanced roles in teaching, direct patient care, informatics, and research.

 Nurse with graduate degree integrates their desire for teaching and clinical expertise to enhance patient’s experience. Nurse Educators are required to prepare new nurses and advance practicing clinicians’ development. Therefore, they must have excellent communication skills, a comprehensive clinical background, and be culturally competent. Additionally, they need to be flexible to modify their teaching strategies and curriculum to reflect changes in the profession and industry (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, n.d). Therefore, nurse educators with a graduate degree can transform the healthcare sector and nursing education by presenting at nursing conferences, engage in research, participate in community service, influence public policy, and work as consultants to healthcare institutions and education.  Additionally, nurse educators with a graduate degree can work as practice setting instructors, faculty in nursing programs and associate degree, staff development officers, and clinical preceptors. 

Whether It Makes a Difference If the Advanced Degree Is In Nursing or a Related Discipline to Become a Nurse Educator

Before becoming a nurse educator, one must have a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination) must be done after one earns a BSN degree. The passing of the NCLEX-RN exam qualifies individuals for licensure as RN (Registered Nurse). After all these qualifications, an RN should obtain an advanced degree to qualify as a nurse educator (Registered Nurse.org, n.d).  An advanced degree assumes various forms, including a Doctor of Nursing Philosophy (Ph.D.), Master’ s of Science in Nursing degree(MSN), or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). 

An MSN degree is advanced than bachelor’s degree programs because it builds knowledge acquired by nurses during their undergraduate curriculum. However, Registered Nurses interested in the academic setting can major in Doctor of Nursing Philosophy programs. Individuals with these qualifications teach students leadership, research tactics, and public policy (Registered Nurse.org, n.d). The American Association of College of Nursing requires individuals to earn some doctorate in nursing to pursue employment opportunities at universities or colleges as nurse educators.  Thus, individuals with a Doctor of Nursing Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) are suitable to assume the nurse educator’s role. 

Nursing Ph.D. programs underscore the importance of research while the Doctor of Nursing Practice emphasizes clinical practice. Those applying for a nurse educator role must have at a minimum a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) along with a nursing license.  Nurse educators with a master’s degree or higher qualifications can teach diploma, associate, licensed practice nurse, and licensed vocational nurse programs. A doctorate is necessary to teach at the graduate or undergraduate level. However, nurse educators with a master’s degree can be employed as instructors or professors in universities if they have years of teaching or practical experience in a novel or desirable specialty.

From the analysis, it is evident that a nurse educator must have a nursing background and not any other discipline. Additionally, nurse educators should have a graduate degree to adequately prepare nurses to provide care in a highly demanding healthcare sector. Accordingly, a graduate degree is necessary to enhance nurse educators’ contributions in curriculum development and modification, research, and policymaking.

References

American Association of Colleges of Nursing.(n.d). Master’s education. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Nursing-Education-Programs/Masters-Education

National Academy of Sciences. (2011). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209885/

Registered Nurse.org. (n.d). What is a nurse educator? https://www.registerednursing.org/nurse-educator/