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If you were transitioning from a clinical position to a clinical nurse educator role, what competencies or knowledge would you need to develop to facilitate a smooth transition?
In reviewing the characteristics of effective clinical faculty members, I think that my biggest learning opportunity would be in developing specific teaching skills that maximize the learning experience for the student. Symbolic interactionism poses that individuals are not capable of passively assimilating objective reality and that we understand and gain new knowledge through the lens of our own personal stories (Jarosinski et al., 2019) From this perspective, as a clinical educator, it is important to take the time to understand each learner in the environment and tailor one’s approach to provide the best experience for each student. This will require some hands-on practice and feedback from the students and my own clinical mentors. I am currently teaching a Patient care tech class at a local community college and this is a key caveat that my mentor has been helping me develop, particularly when planning clinical lab sessions and clinical experiences for each student.
To provide safe and effective patient-centered care, what strategies would you utilize to develop the skills needed to be an effective clinical nurse educator?
There are several key strategies that have been identified in the literature and that I have employed during various key transitions in my career that are critical to easing the stress and sense of identity crisis often experienced as clinicians move into new roles. The first is seeking out my new tribe, or setting up formal and informal mentoring as well as a structured orientation. Peer support at this level helps relieve the perceptions and sense of isolation and fosters new relationships (Hunter & Hayter, 2019). When I transitioned from the role of nurse leader to APN in clinical practice, I sought out through networking to find other APNs in my specialty within my geographical location and took advantage of attending events and learning series and quickly developed professional connections and friendships.
Another strategy is ongoing self reflection. Taking an ongoing personal assessment of one’s vast number of skills that are transferable from one role to the next is also helpful in building confidence and also identifying opportunities for growth (Korkosz et al., 2020). For example, a strong understanding of one’s components of emotional intelligence is important in any leadership or mentoring role.
Pat Mezzina
References
Hunter, J., & Hayter, M. (2019). A neglected transition in nursing: The need to support the move from clinician to academic properly. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 75(9), 1820–1822. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14075Links to an external site.
Jarosinski, J. M., Seldomridge, L. A., Reid, T. P., & Hinderer, K. A. (2019). “learning how to teach” in nursing: Perspectives of clinicians after a formal academy. Nurse Educator, 45(1), 51–55. https://doi.org/10.1097/nne.0000000000000662Links to an external site.
Korkosz, J. A., Fuller, A. J., Sheehy, S. B., Taylor, L. A., Seibert, D. C., & Johnson, H. L. (2020). Taking the leap from clinical practice to academic faculty: A beginner’s guide. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 32(9), 630–637. https://doi.org/10.1097/jxx.0000000000000320Links to an external site.
