| There comes a time when everyone feels the need | | | | Bachelor's in some form of nursing, certification and a |
| to grow in their job and this may apply even more to | | | | few years experience. One thing the field does |
| those who are already in a comprehensive field, such | | | | require is clinical experience, but that you can have |
| as nurses. They think about hanging up the scrubs | | | | while learning. |
| and stethoscope and seeing how normal people live | | | | From there, the best course of action is to contact |
| or are just getting tired of the 12-hour shifts, aching | | | | several online colleges, find out which ones offer the |
| corns and bad back. Schools for nursing also exist for | | | | nurse education specialty. As said before, this field is |
| those who want to enhance their careers. | | | | suffering from a shortage so be sure to see about |
| At the same time, there is an extreme shortage of | | | | financial aid. Don't be surprised if one can get |
| nurses out there in the world today. This causes a | | | | fellowships and/or grants from both the medical and |
| two-fold dilemma in the bedpan wars. First, the | | | | the teaching community. |
| shortage makes a nurse a highly desirable person to | | | | From there, one should look into post-grad courses in |
| have on staff, and giving up that average salary of | | | | education. Obtaining a Masters will take approximately |
| $65,000 and benefits isn't easy. Second, when the | | | | two years, depending on whether one is going to be |
| nurse leaves, it can take a long, long time before an | | | | a full-time student (again) or parcel out the course |
| equally qualified replacement is found. | | | | load with work-study. If one intends to work in a |
| The solution to this is a sort of meeting of these | | | | university or hospital-university position, sooner or |
| needs. Many are going back to school to become | | | | later a nurse educator will have to get a PhD before |
| Nurse Educators. According to the Bureau of Labor | | | | achieving a full professorship. In other situations, |
| Statistics, there is as big a need for the teachers as | | | | getting a teaching certificate on top of the Masters is |
| there is for the students. Educators work in what the | | | | enough. |
| Bureau calls a "post-secondary school", i.e., college | | | | From there, salaries vary greatly. Many nurse |
| environment, which many find a lot more favorable | | | | educators often feel the call to walk the floors once |
| to walking a hospital or clinic floor. If that isn't | | | | again and arrange to do both as two part-time jobs. |
| enough, the salaries can be every bit as good as | | | | Others feel they may opt just to relax, enjoy the |
| nursing itself. | | | | good life, and only teach part time. In general though, |
| Becoming a nurse educator isn't a simple walk in the | | | | the Bureau reports most nurse educators will make |
| park. Then again, a nurse does have half the battle | | | | about $65,000 a year. They can pull over $100,000 if |
| already won in that the candidate already has a | | | | they become tenured, full-time professors. |