The role of the nurse educator

The demands of the healthcare industry require a highly-qualified nursing workforce. Yet there is a global shortage of nurses. The reasons for this are multifactorial, but include:

• an ageing workforce
• heavy workloads
• growing disillusionment in the nursing profession (McAllister and Flynn, 2016; Buchan and Catton, 2023)

There is a need to recruit and retain a new generation of nursing students if the NHS is to meet its current workforce demands. Nurse educators are key to supporting the transition from nursing student to newly registered nurse. The ability to recruit nursing students is in part constrained by the lack of nurse educators (Brower et al, 2022; Seldomridge et al, 2023). The transition from clinical nurse to nurse educator is one that lacks definition and calls for a deeper exploration (Brower et al, 2022). This article provides an overview of the nurse educator role, and the ways in which nurses can transition into this career path.

Transitioning from nurse to academic: meeting the challenges

The transition from clinical nurse to nurse educator can be challenging (Harper-Macdonald and Taylor, 2020; Brower et al, 2022). When entering the field of academia, many nurses have already forged a strong career in their specialist field, some even becoming experts in the area (Harper-Macdonald and Taylor, 2020). Becoming a novice in the field of academia and education can be challenging for many, as they exit an environment which they are familiar with to a role which may feel entirely alien (McDermid et al, 2016).

Higher education institutes are now wholly responsible for providing a curriculum that meets the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) standards for registered nurses, resulting in the creation of nurse educator roles. This revision of the role means the separation between clinical and academic nursing is becoming more fluid, with many professionals working across both fields.

Nurses moving to academia require the support of universities in ensuring that, as novice academics, they feel valued as specialists within their role. Receiving support is integral to a smooth transition, enabling nurses to feel:

One way that this may be achieved is through the development of collegial relationships. These relationships provide a source of support and motivation that allow nurses to develop their skills and knowledge in an academic setting (McDermid et al, 2016). Nurses can also take part in formal teaching courses, such as a post-graduate certificate in education. Paired with organisational support, such as focused induction and personal development reviews, these approaches help to make the transition from nurse to academic less challenging.

Clinical nurse educator roles

Nurse educator roles can be either clinically or academia based. Clinical nurse educators have a variety of role titles, including practice development nurses and clinical practice educators; for the purpose of this article, these titles will be discussed using the umbrella term of nurse educator. Nurse educators often enhance the clinical learning environment and provide support as practice supervisors (Mathisen et al, 2023). The scope of the role has been developed according to the local and individual needs of the organisation (Mathisen et al, 2023). Thus, the descriptors and responsibilities of the role are often shaped by the organisation and speciality that educators find themselves working within. While this variety is beneficial, it can often lead to a lack of clarity when discussing the roles and responsibilities of a nurse educator.

Roles and responsibilities of the nurse educator

The World Health Organization (2016) has set out eight competencies for nurse educators:

1. theories and principles of adult learning
2. curriculum and implementation
3. nursing practice
4. research and evidence
5. communication, collaboration and partnership
6. ethical and legal principles and professionalism
7. monitoring and evaluation
8. management, leadership and advocacy

Considering these competencies, the scope and role of the nurse educator is diverse and reflects the need for clinical competence coupled with sound teaching and assessment skills (World Health Organization, 2016). In practice, the scope of nurse educators varies, ranging from practice development nurses, who are clinically based, to academics, who work in higher education.

In both clinical or academic roles, nurse educators are responsible for supporting and educating a range of learners, ranging from pre-registration to post graduate and overseas nurses. Nurse educators must act as both a role model and mentor, working to maintain a skilled workforce.

How to become a nurse educator

The suggested requirements for a nurse educator are summarised in Table 1.

Why become a nurse educator

The diversity of the role is one attribute that may attract nurses to the role of a nurse educator. Other factors include:

Conclusions

The routes into and roles of the nurse educator are varied, but organisational support is key to ensuring the recruitment and retention of staff into these positions. This may come from a structured programme of development or a supportive work environment that encourages and supports staff as they develop in their role. This in turn may help to build resilience, a factor cited as being instrumental in helping nurse educators deal with the challenges that are inherent in their job.

Moving forward, streamlining or standardising development pathways for nurse educators may help them to feel better prepared for the scope of the role and allow them to be more prepared for the transition. Given the staff shortages that the NHS currently faces, recruiting and retaining nurse educators is of paramount importance.