NLN Core Competency VI: Pursue Continuous Quality Improvement in the Nurse Educator Role
It is imperative for nurse educators to pursue quality improvement for the nurse educator role, in particular this relates to remaining clinically competent. According to Halstead (2007) “to maintain effectiveness as educators, faculty need to keep current in clinical practice, teaching and learning strategies, technology advancements, and educational and societal issues that impact the practice of nursing and nursing education” (p. 126). It is important to maintain clinical competency because it “provides an opportunity for positive role modeling,” (Good & Schubert, 2001, p. 392). The educators that remain clinically competent exhibit collaboration, teamwork, professionalism of working with a team and exhibit interprofessional relationships. These faculty model critical thinking skills, and by proxy teach the students to think for themselves rather than being too dependent on other staff members, (Good & Schubert, 2001).
Educators who maintain clinical competency are an asset to curriculum development. As curriculum is revised periodically, it is beneficial to have the faculty member who is clinically competent as this aides in ensuring the curriculum is clinically relevant. The clinically competent faculty member provides insight as to what is best practice, and is able to bring those practices into the curriculum. It is beneficial for these faculty members to be on the curriculum committees. This is beneficial for curriculum development as well as content delivery—Good & Schubert (2001) explain that faculty who are further removed from the clinical aspect of nursing become less confident. Not only does the confidence level of the faculty dwindle, but so does the confidence the students have with the faculty. The clinically up-to-date faculty instructor also embodies a more dynamic approach to their lectures, basing it off the text and experience as opposed to simply from the text, (Good & Schubert, 2001). The clinically competent nurse is current, or has a working knowledge of the computerized charting method(s). This allows these faculty members to “better prepare students for computerized charting, which they will encounter….invariably in practice after graduation,” (Good & Schubert, 2001, p. 393.)
To meet this competency I am a current member of AORN as well as ASPAN, organizations that are specific to my field of nursing in surgical services. To maintain clinically competent I continue to work a minimum of 8 clinical hours per week. This keeps my clinical skills in the high acuity nursing sharp, as well as my clinical thinking skills. As a member of the organizations listed above I will attend the conferences held yearly for each of those organizations as well as continue to subscribe to the journals sent quarterly. To gain and remain credible with future nurse educator posiitons, it will be imperative that I remain clinically competent and up to date with the most recent evidenced based practices for that field.
To increase my competency in this area I will participate and seek evaluations as it is necessary for improvement in my professional career. To do this I will get with a mentor, either one appointed to me, or someone who I look up to. I will seek their advice for improvement and feedback on my work, whether it be creation of curriculum or lecturing in the classroom. Working with a mentor will help me to grow and provide me the feedback to assist with my development as an educator. I will use the feedback gained from myself, administration, peers, and mentors to improve my role and effectiveness as an educator, (Halstead, 2007)
I will demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning. To do this I will remain a member of the organizations mentioned above, attend conferences to stay up-to-date with the advancements in surgical services nursing. To be a life-long learner I will continue to work in a clinically relevant field to maintain competence in an area of interest to me that is pertinent to my educator role. I am also a member of SSTI, I also plan on researching and presenting a poster project within this organization within the next two years. Remaining clinically relevant is important to me, and to the career choice I am seeking, by remaining a life-long learner I will ensure that my knowledge is always up to date and relevant.
References
Good, D. M., & Schubert, C. R. (2001). Faculty practice: How it enhances teaching. Journal of Nursing Education, 40(9), 389-399.
Halstead, J. A. (2007). Nurse educator competencies: Creating an evidence-based practice for nurse educators. New York, NY: National League for Nursing.
Image of healthcare employees in surgical suite. Retrieved from wix.com
