Online Health Degrees in Nurse Education

Online Nurse Education Degree Programs

Sometimes, the best way to plan a career is to figure out how to be on the right side of history: spot a broad social or business trend, and choose a career that will benefit from that trend. The rise in the demand for health care is an example of such a trend--it's not a matter of debate, but instead a demographic reality that will be with us for decades to come. There are plenty of health care jobs that can benefit from this trend, but perhaps none so thoroughly as becoming a nurse educator.

Nurse educators are typically registered nurses in their own right, but they have gone on to receive additional training in nurse education to help provide career training to others. This role will help build the nation's supply of nurses--and that's a role that is desperately needed.

Providing Nurse Career Training

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that between 2006 and 2016, the number of registered nurses will increase by nearly 600,000, and the number of licensed practical nurses will increase by over 100,000. In total, that's nearly 700,000 new nursing jobs--and that doesn't include the replacement of nurses who retire or move on to other jobs.

Meeting this demand will require a huge effort in nurse education. This is why people who have the special career training to provide this education will be enormously valuable in the years ahead.

Playing a role in nurse education offers a wide variety of working experiences and environments. Employment venues can range from the hands-on environment of a teaching hospital to the academic environment of a college to the pragmatic environment of a vocational school. Subject taught include a wide variety of topics, with nursing protocols and ethics at the center of the curriculum. This is where an experienced nurse can be especially valuable as an educator. Being able to add the weight of personal experience to a base of theoretical knowledge enhances the educator's credibility.

People are often attracted to nursing out of a desire to help care for others. By becoming a nurse educator, you would have the opportunity to extend your contribution to the health care system well beyond your personal reach.

Nurse Education Degrees and Required Skills

How does nurse education differ from nursing itself in terms of the degrees and skill sets needed? Think of it as being based on many of the same skills, but then building an educational component on top of a knowledge base in nursing.

This is likely to entail obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing. To be a candidate for such a master's program, you would already have to have your Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The master's program itself is likely to involve two years of additional training, though you can tailor this around your work schedule with an online program.

Beyond formal degree requirements, nurse education involves combining a thorough knowledge of nursing with an ability and desire to communicate this knowledge to others. With the right career training, you will not only be able to communicate your knowledge to the nurses of tomorrow, but perhaps your sense of mission as well.