Nurse educators

Introduction

This article review underscores the need for nursing educators to inspire for excellence through the provision of a concrete framework facilitating for the pursuit of lifelong learning with regard to the nursing faculty (Kalb, 2005). The article titled the Core Competencies of Nurse Educators with Task Statements provides eight principle competencies as well as 66 task statements related to the development nursing graduate programs designed to prepare nurse educators. The article also provides for a guidance in the evaluation of nurse educator practice.

New educators

It is essential that curricula designed for nurse educator programs comprehensively address core areas of knowledge as well as skills necessary for excellence and effectiveness in the dispensation of the role of a nurse educator. This implies there be a transparent scope and more so standards overseeing the nurse educator profession (Kalb, 2005). The article reports that the post graduate nurse educator program at the College of St. Catherine applies these eight principle competencies in the development of curricula design, curricula assessment and curricula evaluation instructions technology and strategizing systems set up to precipitate positive change in the nursing education profession.

The cornerstone project under the curriculum for nurse educators is titled Nurse Educator as a Leader, which upon completion expects students to practically reflect on the spirit of each one of the eight principle competencies defining the program; pinpoint evidence demonstrating acquired knowledge and more so abilities in translating each individual competency; as well as exhibit excellence with respect to material learnt and professional objectives (Kalb, 2005). This essentially motivates students to discuss experiences, assess personal and team strengths as well as weaknesses, and describe attained growth and development towards the role of a nurse educator.

Educator role implementation

Role components act as a basis for incorporating faculty orientation as well as facilitate for better understanding with regard to the entire scope of the role of a nurse educator with respect to the academic community (Kalb, 2005). Eight certification standards are applied in the organization of nurse educator role descriptions in line with the principle competencies provided for in the article. This is chiefly to ensure that standards required to be adhered to by nurse educators are conclusively determined through faculty qualifications, candidature interviews for potential students, familiarizing new faculty, carrying out evaluation processes on faculties, as well as goal development for faculty scholarships as well as career development. This is also applied by program facilitators and mentors for evaluative feedback to enhance the development of nurse educators and other academic community members.

Promoting the Nurse Education practice

Principle competencies are critical in the evaluation of faculty practice as they serve to provide a benchmark for rating students acquired knowledge and practical abilities as supported by the sixty six task statements (Kalb, 2005). Novel nurse faculty are required to perform a self-evaluation critical for the individualization of plans for the design of faculty orientation. In principle this is also principally essential for the students as a tool to which personal evaluation with respect to gauging readiness for nurse educator certification.

Conclusion

The Core Competencies of Nurse Educators has been embraced by nurse educators as well as administrators who know only too well the full value of nurse educator role descriptions, the development of advance nurse educator development programs, evaluation benchmarks and processes, curricula, and mentorship programs. In essence, students as future nurse educators as well as certified nurse educators are very important as a resource for propagating information rooting for the further consolidation of principle competencies.

References

Kalb, K. A. (2005). Core Competencies of Nurse Educators: Inspiring EXCELLENCE in Nurse Educator Practice. Minnesota: National League fir Nursing.