Working Nurse

Working Nurse: What is your nursing specialty and where do you work?

SELINA BLISS, MS, RN, CNE: I am an academic nurse educator working with pre-licensure nursing students at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona. This is a community college that grants an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing, after which our graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

This is different from a nursing educator who works in a hospital environment with nurses who have already obtained licensure because academic nursing education is considered a specialty area of practice and an advanced practice role within professional nursing. We have our own professional organization (National League of Nursing) and our own set of core competencies from which we can earn certification.

Tell us about your career path and how you chose that specialty.
I was a full-time staff nurse in the intensive care unit at Yavapai Regional Medical Center in 1989 when I was asked to volunteer to precept a nursing student during the final month of her program, just before graduation. I really enjoyed this experience and my student must have done well as I was then asked to work part time at our local community college as a clinical instructor. Each semester for the next four years I was assigned my own group of 10 students, whom I led through their hospital clinical experience. After that, I was the asked to join the college full time to teach in the classroom and clinical areas, and have been there since.

What special training was required?
To teach in the classroom at the associate degree level requires a master’s degree in nursing (MS or MSN). However, to be a clinical instructor, the minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). I am a local girl who didn’t go far as I obtained both my BSN and MS from Arizona State University. If I wanted to teach at the university level, I would have to obtain a doctorate in nursing (Ph.D.) or a doctorate in education (Ed.D.). Since I am currently more fascinated in teaching strategies and how students learn, I am considering returning to school to earn my Ed.D.

In order to demonstrate expertise as an academic nurse educator I wanted to obtained certification, so two years ago I earned the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential. I am so committed to helping my colleagues in Arizona obtain this certification that I am coordinating, along with the NLN, a preparation course for certification as an Academic Nurse Educator (CNE). This will be offered at our community college next spring.

What is a typical day?
I have the best of both worlds! Not only do I get to teach in the classroom, but I guide our students through their clinical experiences in the various clinical agencies and hospitals. Unlike a math or science teacher, I am not confined to the classroom and office at the college campus five days a week. Instead, two days of the week I am in the clinical areas working with students and their assigned nurses as they progress through their clinical experiences.

What are your favorite aspects of the job?
I thrive off of the variety of going to work each day and not knowing what to expect. I also receive the satisfaction of making a contribution to the profession of nursing by increasing the number of qualified nurses in the practice area. It is also gratifying that I can assist to improve the quality of lives of our graduates who return to college in order to earn a career as a nurse. For some it has been their life-long dream and goal. I particularly enjoy when a patient compliments the student nurse and tries to convince me to give the student an “A” for their excellent work in the clinical area.

Least favorite?
The least favorite part of my job is when students are less successful than they should be. There is a Chinese proverb that says “Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.” Occasionally there are students who are not successful because they do not take advantage of the tools they are given to succeed. To make coping with this part easier, our nursing program is all about student success. We have a very high retention rate and a high NCLEX pass rate. The two should always be reported together, although most schools report their NCLEX pass rates without mentioning how many students did not graduate.

What are some aspects of your specialty that make it unique compared to other specialties?
I am both an educator and a nurse. When asked which comes first or which is more important, it is hard to say because all nurse educators are first nurses at heart.

In your opinion, what personality type is best suited to be an academic nurse educator?
This specialty requires someone who is flexible and has the ability to work with adult learners from different generations. You can’t be in it for the money because in the U.S. nurses who work in education earn less than those working in the clinical areas.

What is it that attracted you to nursing in the first place?
I had no nurse mentors while growing up, so it is amazing that I became a nurse at all. However I knew I wanted a job that was exciting, unpredictable and made an impact on people. It would appear I have gotten what I asked for!

What advice would you give to a nurse looking to enter your field of nursing?
Be patient and recognize your strengths. Patricia Benner, a famous nurse theorist, talks about the five stages of development a nurse progresses through as they transition from that of a novice to an expert clinician. As academic nurse educators, we tend to recruit expert clinical nurses and put them in the position of an academic nurse educator, essentially making them a novice again. It takes time and experience to develop the skills to become an academic nurse educator, so just be patient, draw on your experiences as an expert clinician, and you will become an expert once again.

FURTHER REFERENCE

National League for Nursing (NLN),
www.nln.org

The Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) Examination,
www.nln.org/facultycertification/index.htm

Teaching in Nursing: A Guide for Faculty (Third Edition)
by Diane M. Billings and Judith A. Halstead

The Scope of Practice for Academic Nurse Educators
by the National League for Nursing

Nurse Educator Competencies: Creating An Evidence-Based Practice For Nurse Educators
by Judith A. Halstead

The Nurse Educator’s Guide to Assessing Learning Outcomes
by Mary E. McDonald

The New Leadership Challenge: Creating the Future of Nursing
by Sheila C. Grossman and Theresa M. Valiga