What Steps Do I Take to Become a Nursing Professor?

What Steps Do I Take to Become a Nursing Professor?If you would like to instruct those who are training to work as nursing professionals, you should learn what it takes to become a nursing professor. Every skilled nurse got where they are in their profession because they were taught by a skilled professor. If you are a nurse and have a knack for teaching others how to grasp content and how to stay engaged even when the content might not be all that engaging, working as a nurse educator could be the perfect hybrid between academia and nursing. As an educator, you will need to have clinical experience and a high level of education. Read this guide, and learn about the appropriate steps to take to fulfill your professional calling.

Become a Registered Nurse and Attain Professional Experience

The very first step towards becoming a nursing professor is to become a professional who can legally practice as a nurse in a clinical setting. To do this, you will need a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. While some RN’s will pursue their licensure with a 2-year degree or nursing certificate, having your BSN is key when you want to be an educator. Once you graduate, you will be qualified to sit for the NCLEX-RN examination so that you are able to get clinical experience. You cannot expect to teach nurses nursing theory and practical skills without first experiencing what life as a nurse is like.

Enroll in a MSN Degree Program

As you are working in a clinical role, you should enroll in an accredited Master of Science program majoring in a nursing specialization. Master’s degree programs are terminal programs that prepare you to master curriculum so that you can officially be a specialist. You will spend an additional 2 years in an advanced degree program earning your MSN, but having a Master’s is a must.

A Master’s degree with a concentration in nursing education will enable you to test for your Certification for Nurse Educators. Some smaller private nursing schools will hire those who possess only a Master’s degree and have several years of clinical experience, but universities and leading nursing schools will only hire those who possess a doctorate.

Choose the Right Type of Doctorate

A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the next step in academia, but the Ph.D. is the highest academic degree that you can earn in this field. Whether you choose to pursue a DNP or a Ph.D., you will need to take advanced courses and complete a capstone project, a practicum and clinical research project that will help advance the field. It is a major commitment to enroll in a doctoral program, but if you want to be a well-qualified nursing educator, earning a doctoral degree is crucial.

A high number of nursing professionals are projected to retire within the upcoming decade and the number of students expected to enroll in nursing schools is also predicted to rise. As the number of students enrolled rises, the need for professors will proportionately grow. If you want to enter academia and earn an average of $78,242 over a 9 month period, this could be the professional career for you.

For more information on earning a degree in nursing, please see: Top 10 Best Online RN to BSN Program.