NURS 6351 Week 1: Nurse Educator Competencies and Role Change

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NURS 6351 Week 1: Nurse Educator Competencies and Role Change essay assignment

NURS 6351: Role of the Nurse Educator | Week 1 essay assignment

Your professional journey is unique to you—shaped by your experiences, specialty expertise, and career aspirations. What have you learned about yourself through your involvement in this Master of Science in Nursing program, and particularly your specialization? How have your experiences in courses and in your current or previous work settings informed your perspective on what you would like to accomplish moving forward?

In this course, you examine the challenges and benefits of applying your clinical specialty area knowledge and skills through your role as a nurse educator.

NURS 6351 Week 1: Nurse Educator Competencies and Role Change essay assignment

This week, you analyze professional competencies and consider how these relate to three domains in which nurse educators work: in clinical settings as staff developers, in clinical settings as patient educators, and in academic settings as educators of nursing students. You revisit Patricia Benner’s work on transitioning from novice to expert (introduced in a previous course), and assess the challenges that may arise as you progress from expert clinician to novice nurse educator and experience changes in your professional identity.

In preparation for your Practicum, this week you reflect on the professional transitions that you are currently undergoing or are likely to embark on as you complete this MSN program. You identify professional development objectives and create your Practicum Professional Experience Plan to guide involvement at your Practicum setting.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

  • Analyze individual strengths and areas for professional growth in relation to competencies outlined for a specific educator role
  • Analyze competencies and role expectations in various settings
  • Evaluate role changes through progression from expert clinician to novice nurse educator
  • Evaluate strategies for transitioning into the role of a nurse educator
  • Construct measurable learning objectives to be accomplished during the Practicum Experience
  • Analyze a Practicum Experience in the context of nursing education*
  • Construct a detailed Practicum Log*
  • Analyze issues, responsibilities, and experiences of teachers and learners in the context of nursing education**

*The Assignments related to these Learning Objectives are introduced this week and submitted in Week 3.
**The Assignment related to this Learning Objective is introduced this week and submitted in Week 9.

According to Halstead and Frank (2018), “The competencies required of health care professionals to deliver safe, quality care will continue to be debated by leaders in health care and health care education” (p. 4). Yet, nurse educators can look to established professional competencies, derived from effective practices in the field and from evidence in the literature, to guide their actions.

What competencies are nurse educators expected to achieve and demonstrate? What are the commonalities and differences among competencies required in differing domains in which nurse educators work: in clinical settings as staff developers, in clinical settings as patient educators, and in academic settings as educators of nursing students?

For this Discussion, you conduct a self-assessment to gauge your skills and abilities relative to essential competencies. Bear in mind that the purpose of this exercise is to engage in honest evaluation of your competencies to guide your learning as you go forward in this course. Even if you have seasoned clinical expertise or experience as a clinical instructor, you will likely discover areas for growth and development related to the role of nurse educator.

To prepare

  • Reflect on key concepts you have previously explored in this Master of Science in Nursing program. What can you deduce about the expectations of nurse educators?
  • Review the National League for Nursing Nurse Educator Core Competency presented in the Learning Resources. How are these competencies influenced by characteristics of settings (clinical and academic) and roles (teaching nursing students, staff, or patients)?
  • Reflect on the competencies specific to your Practicum setting/role, and compare them to the competencies for settings/roles outside your chosen domain.
  • Using the competencies presented in this week’s Learning Resources, assess your level of expertise as a nurse educator.
  • Based on your understanding of the Learning Resources and the results of your self-assessment, what do you consider to be your strengths? Where do you see a need for professional growth?
  • View the Introduction to the Practicum, provided in this week’s Assignment area, and reflect on your upcoming Practicum Experience. How do you think this information could inform your plans for the Practicum, including the development of your Practicum Professional Development Objectives (which you will include in your Practicum Professional Experience Plan)? What experiences might you outline with your preceptor to continue developing your strengths and address your perceived areas for improvement?

By Day 3

Post a summary of the results of your self-assessment. Explain two or more strengths and two or more areas for professional growth relative to the competencies you will need as a nurse educator in your intended setting/role.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 5

Respond to at least one of your colleagues by describing similarities and differences among competencies in each of the settings/roles addressed. Explain how this relates to the results of your self-assessment and your plans/goals as a nurse educator.