VUSN is committed to preparing nurses to be leaders and scholars in academic, administrative and practice roles. For students in research or practice doctoral programs of study who wish to prepare for or enhance a career that involves nursing education, we offer multiple options for engagement based upon learner goals. DNP students may enroll in one or multiple courses as electives, or add the full post master’s certificate to their plan of study.
Nurse Educator Course Progression Options
| Options | Courses | Total Credit Hours | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option 1: Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) eligibility | Core Courses N8066 AND N8067 | 6 | Enrollment in the core educator courses is required to be eligible for NFLP funds * NFLP funds are only available for enrolled VUSN DNP students |
| Option 2: National League for Nursing (NLN) Nurse Educator Certification eligibility | Core Courses + one additional educator course (N8068 or N8078) | 9 | A total of nine credits hours of formal nursing education coursework is required for NLN Nurse Educator Certification eligibility |
| Option 3: Nursing Education Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) | Core Courses, + one additional educator (N8068 or N8078) + N8079 | 12 | A total of 12 credit hours including the capstone course (N8079 – 3 credit hours) is required for the PMC in nursing education *Enrollment in N8079 is limited to NE-PMC students only |
Course content is guided by the National League for Nursing (NLN) Nurse Educator Competencies.
Core courses are targeted for enrolled DNP students who wish to receive financial aid through the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP). Adding a third elective educator course is for those who are interested in sitting for national certification as a nurse educator (CNE). Finally, students may choose to enroll in a fourth course to earn a PMC in Nursing Education. All nursing education electives may be taken as electives based on student interest in content, potential content application to the scholarly project, or potential content application to the practice setting EXCEPT N8079, which is restricted to NE-PMC students only.
All coursework may be completed online. Students interested in taking one or more of the nursing education electives should consult with their adviser regarding the best plan for integrating the courses into their plan of study.
Summary
| Nursing Education Course | Credit Hours | Semester Taught | Eligibility | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N8066 Curriculum Strategies for Health Professions Education | 3 | Fall, Spring | NFLP | NONE |
| N8067 Educational Evaluation for Learning in the Health Professions | 3 | Spring, Summer | NFLP | Completion or concurrent enrollment in N8066 strongly suggested |
| N8068 Online Methodologies for Nursing Education | 3 | Summer | CNE | *Completion of N8066 and N8067 strongly suggested |
| N8078 Innovations for Teaching in Clinical and Simulated Settings | 3 | Summer | CNE | *Completion of N8066 and N8067 strongly suggested |
| N8079 Mentored Teaching and Role Synthesis | 3 | Fall | NE-PMC | Completion of N8066, N8067, N8068 or N8078 |
* For students who have not previously taken N8066 and N8067, permission from the instructor of record is required for enrollment.* Students may choose to take N8068 or N8078 in completing CNE or NE-PMC eligibility requirements.
- Learn more about the Post-Master's Certificate in Nursing Education
- Learn about the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) at VUSN.
- For more information about the NFLP program contact Kristie Smith Futrell, Director of Student Financial Services.
- Learn more about NLN Nurse Educator Certification .
- For more information about the Post-Master's Certificate in Nursing Education or any of the educator courses, please contact Professor Betsy Kennedy.