I have been a neonatal intensive care (NICU) nurse for nearly 14 years. One of my favorite aspects of my role as a bedside nurse is precepting nursing students for their internship and orienting newly graduated nurses. I enjoy reading and learning about new evidence-based practice guidelines to improve patient care and long-term outcomes for neonates and sharing with my coworkers. Teaching has become a passion and many coworkers said I should teach full time because I can explain things well and have a
vast knowledge base of NICU nursing. My children are now grown and in college, so I decided now was the time to pursue my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). As much as I love bedside care, I knew I did not want to be in administrative type position or locked in to 24-hour call shifts as a neonatal nurse practitioner. The idea of MSN in Nursing Education seemed the best fit with my love of teaching and career goals. After completing my MSN, I hope to continue in my role as a NICU clinical nurse educator and transition to a parent educator. Discussion Examining Nursing Specialties NURS 6003
We here often of the critical nursing shortage. Many reasons exist as to why nurses leave the bedside, but what about bringing new nurses to the profession? Qualified students try to get in nursing school and end up wait listed due to faculty shortages. Those students often choose a different profession. To combat this issue, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing lobbied for federal funding for faulty development programs (Shipman & Hooten, 2008). This contributed to my decision to pursue the specialty of nursing education with my MSN. I knew I would not have difficulty finding a position if I choose to become an academic instructor.
I love helping my coworkers learn more about NICU care and evidence-based practices. I also designed, implemented, and participate in our unit-based nurse mentor program. I developed a standardized orientation pathway for our newly graduated nurses to acclimate to their new career. I participate in multiple committees, such as developmental and unit council. Those are all great ways for clinical nurse educators to provide teaching formally and informally (Jenkins, 2008).
The first national organization to lobby for funding for nurse education research was the National League of Nurses (NLN). This professional organization focuses on nursing schools and faculty, and leaders in nursing education. After reviewing the benefits of the NLN membership, I discovered the cost is only $80 for graduate school students. One of the biggest benefits was free access to the publication ‘Nursing Education Perspectives” (NLN, n.d.)
I am excited to pursue my MSN with the specialty focus of nursing education. Teaching the next generation of nurses is so important to our professional. I look forward to the opportunity to inspire others to keep pushing nursing forward. Discussion Examining Nursing Specialties NURS 6003