Nurse Educator Role Development
Philosophy of Teaching
My teaching philosophy has originated from the many years of study. Upon reflecting on my values and beliefs about nursing education and learning, I find that my mission to be a nurse educator encompasses three aspects. These aspects include:
Promotion of positive knowledge among nursing students
I will apply this in the instances where the students are of diverse cultural origins. By accommodating all the students’ values and believes, I will offer a situation where everyone works towards peaceful existence with their fellows. In the long haul, an enabling environment that learners feel comfortable will be created.
Sparking enthusiasm among learners
As an aspiring nurse educator believing in human simulation, I will work as a role model that the students are geared to emulate. Besides, I will practice significantly on the aspects that need to be imparted to the learners so that they will pick it directly from the teacher.
Providing a stable and robust foundation for future nursing education
In consideration of the revolution within the healthcare system, I am up to working hand in hand with other stakeholders to incorporate the changes into the nursing curriculum. This intervention will be done through the periodic curriculum review to ensure it fits the needs of service users.
Up to the mastery level of nursing eduaction, I have valued the application of contributions from learning theories. The behavioral theory provides many principles that benefit the control of the class and understanding the behavior of learners as they interact with teachers as well as their colleagues. Cognitive learning principles also provide critical contributions about neurosciences concerning the processing of the intellectual operations and memory systems. I will apply these by engaging my students in think-pair-share activities and use of interactive lectures.
Understanding of the cultural diversity and learning style of the individual nursing students will assist me in designing and implementing practical instruction by applying global strategies that are unifying. I am planning to develop my preparation by the use of research-based cycle which outlines a framework for teaching hence the design will fit preferences of various learners and respect the differences amongst them.
Plans of Action in achieving NLN core competencies
The National League of Nurses core competencies enhance excellence in the role of academic nurse educator. They do this by recognizing the nursing education as a critical area of practice thus creating an opportunity to demonstrate the complex role of the faculty. As a nurse educator, I would employ various plans of actions to achieve my tasks in different setups that are related to the nursing competencies.
- a) Facilitating learning
To facilitate learning process, I will create a conducive environment that is fit for learning. I will achieve this by implementing various teachings that match the needs of the learners, as well as being sensitive to cultural diversity among learners.
In addition to the above moves, I would engage in self-reflection and venture into continued learning. This step will see me improve in teaching practices that in the end leads to learning facilitation. With the informatics that is revolutionizing healthcare system, I won’t hesitate to use information technologies to support the process of teaching as well as learning hence coping with the trends in the care provision to patients. At all times, I will maintain the professional base of practical knowledge that would be essential in the process of assisting the learners for their nursing practice in the clinical areas.
- b) Facilitate Learner Development and Socialization
In facilitating learners’ development and socialization, I will identify their learning styles of each learner and their learning needs that are critical in developing them. I will also provide them with resources needed for their learning while also engaging them in advisement and counseling processes to keep them on track to achieve their objectives.
- c) Use Assessment and Evaluation Strategies
In all settings of learning, I will use various strategies to assess and evaluate the learners’ process of learning. To achieve this, I will employ the evidence-based strategies of assessment and evaluation. The data obtained during the process will be useful in the teaching-learning process. I will also provide feedback to my learners that are timely and constructive.
- d) Participating in Curriculum Design and Evaluation of Program Outcomes
Being part of the team that participates in the curriculum design and evaluation of program outcomes, I will ensure incorporation of healthcare trends into the curricula. I will base the process on educational principles, theories and research. The revision of the curricula will entirely be grounded on assessment of learner needs, program outcomes, and trends.
Besides, I would make sure that the curriculum reflects the mission and philosophy of the institution, the trends that are occurring in the healthcare system and nursing in general as well as the needs that the society requires to be met. By so doing, the graduates will be prepared to undertake nursing practice in various healthcare surroundings be it dynamic, complicated or even multicultural. I would also display being knowledgeable of curriculum development to ensure it is designed and evaluated correctly. This demonstration would be done by determining the program outcomes, noting of the learning objectives, coming up with competency statements and choosing learning activities and adequately evaluating strategies.
- e) Functioning as a Change Agent and Leader
Other plans of interest will be assessing organizational effectiveness in the nursing education and participating in multidisciplinary efforts in addressing the educational and healthcare needs. This move will display the role of being a change agent and a leader. Besides, I will develop leadership skills that will shape and bring about change. I will also provide leadership in the parent institution together with the various nursing programs. This act will improve the visibility of nursing and the impact that it brings to the overall academic community.
The agency of change by the nurse educator will also be manifested by engaging in the interdisciplinary efforts that are concerned with educational needs and health care locally, regionally, nationally as well as internationally. Since as a future nurse educator I expect come across various cultures and values from multiple learners and colleagues, my leadership will be displayed by modeling of cultural sensitivity in the moments of advocating for change.
- f) Pursue Continuous Quality Improvement in the Nurse Educator Role
I will also demonstrate my commitment to lifelong learning and take part in the opportunities concerning professional development. At the same time, I am yearning to the feedback that is gained from a peer, self, student, administrative evaluation that would improve the effectiveness of my role as a nurse educator. To execute my task efficiently, I will be part of various opportunities related to professional development that will make me competent and knowledgeable.
In advocating for quality improvement, I will ground my intervention on the knowledge of legal and ethical issues that relate to both higher learning and nursing education. This advocacy will be useful in influencing, implementing and designing procedures and rules that concern learners, faculties, and institutional environments.
- g) Engaging in Scholarship
Nursing education and its roles are all scholarly activities that as a future nurse educator, I am compelled to acknowledge their significance. To appreciate this value, I will carry myself as a scholar while demonstrating courage, integrity, vitality, perseverance, and creativity. While addressing various audiences, I will also disseminate nursing and teaching knowledge to make them informed. Within my area of specialization, I will design and implement different scholarly activities to promote learning.
Throughout teaching, I will display the spirit of intending to know more concerning learning and teaching, evaluation of learning and teaching, student and teacher development and other aspects that relate to nursing education. These moves will make me an individual that is in continuous search for information that would emerge in the development of my role. While designing teaching and evaluation practices, I will draw the process on the extant literature. By engaging in such activity, I am planning to come up with evidenced-based strategies that will ensure the quality of the processes surrounding it.
- Functioning within the Educational Environment
By knowing the educational environment and external influences such as social, economic, institutional and political forces, I will strive to function amidst their impact efficiently. I am strategizing on achieving this plan by basing my decisions and recommendations on knowledge of history and trends in education. I will employ collaboration and partnership by developing network both within the profession and other related departments. In creating an organizational climate that will ensure well-being and development of the teachers and the learners, I will advocate for the integration of values such respect, professionalism and caring.
Differences in roles of nurse educators in academic and non-academic settings
Nurse educator has various roles that may cut across his or her profession. These, however, defer from the role of teaching within the nursing profession. Within the academic setting, nurse educators have a role in creating a conducive environment that would allow learning and teaching. The educator provides resources and spearheads learning by imparting healthcare information and knowledge to the student nurse. This facilitation can be done in the classroom, skills laboratory as well as in the clinical areas where the nursing students do their attachment programs. The nurse educators are also expected to participate in the professional development by advancing in teaching education and reviewing of the nursing curriculum.
On the other hand, nurse educators have several roles in non-academic settings that include activities such as taking part in professional associations and engaging in scholarly activities such research projects relating to nursing. The nurse educators are also expected to contribute to the academic community by undertaking the leadership roles since they can represent nurses in instances of partnership with other related departments supporting nursing education programs. The nurse educators can also serve as counselors to advice students and mentor them through their career development.
In addition to the above roles in non-academic settings, the nurse educators are also expected to maintain clinical competencies by reviewing the practices in the clinical areas. They can see the relationship it has with the nursing education thus will be able to identify any gap that exists. The educators are also expected to engage in peer reviewing of articles to improve the nursing research and publication of materials.
