Nursing Educator Role in a Clinical Setting

A nurse that holds a Master’s Degree in Science as a Nurse Educator has the ability to teach, develop, and shape the new generation of nurse professionals. Nurse Educators can work in a variety of landscapes, such as academic nursing institutions and clinical settings. Health care has evolved tremendously, thereby, forcing all health care providers, especially nurses to have an ongoing professional development. This is where a nurse educator comes in. Wherever they are working, such as a school or hospital setting, they are expected to read and learn new research and disseminate the information to new and seasoned nurses. This report will focus on a nurse educator’s role in a clinical or hospital setting.

The Role of a Clinical Educator

The role of a Clinical Educator, or also known as a Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPDS), in a hospital setting slightly differs from the one who works in a school setting. The professors at the school are focused on teaching aspiring nursing students who are still in the process of becoming a nurse, whereas the educators within the hospitals help promote professional role development of novice nurses to expert level. They help new hires develop and maintain their nursing knowledge, not only at the time of orientation, but throughout their employment. They also ensure that seasoned nurses remain up to date. According to Walsh University (2018), “within the hospital setting, nurse educators serve as partners for practice transitions, learning facilitators, change agents, mentors, leaders, champions of scientific inquiry, and advocates for the specialty” (para. 6).

The rapid change in health care has created knowledge gaps for the professionals who work in the industry. Nurses must continuously keep learning during their careers in order to stay informed and educated on standards of care, treatments, and other healthcare trends. The NPDS plays an important role in contributing and promoting this education, since they must adhere to the Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Standards that are defined by the American Nurses Association (ANA). As patient care continues to evolve, NPD professionals must refresh their roles and responsibilities to ensure that current gaps are bridged by constantly educating staff using evidence-based research and practices through online continuing education programs, simulation, and face-to-face interactions (Warren, Harper, & Wilson, 2017). Through these efforts, the NPDS is able to enhance nursing professional practices within their specific healthcare setting.

Overall, the role of a clinical educator can be crucial for the success of the organization. Not only are they contributing to the development of nurses, but they also are cognizant of the challenges that nurses have to deal with. As a change agent, they can provide added value by identifying ways to reduce errors and streamline processes for increased efficiencies that benefit the patient and the hospita