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 Funding | N8066 + N8067 | 6 | Completion of N8066 and N80667 is required for NFLP funds * NFLP funds are only available for enrolled VUSN DNP exit students |
| Option 3: Nursing Education Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) | N8066, N8067 + 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) | N8066, N8067, N8078 + N8079 | 12 | A total of 12 credit hours is required for conferral of the PMC in nursing education *Enrollment in N8079 is limited to NE-PMC students only |
Educator 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.
Please note the new course offering schedule. Students frequently decide to add the NE PMC to their plan of study after completion of the first or second course. NFLP funding is not available for educator courses after the DNP program of study is complete. Therefore, students should begin educator coursework in their first semester to ensure completion of all desired courses but the end of their DNP program. For example, enroll in N8066 in Fall, Semester 1of the Post Master’s DNP 5 or 6 semester plan. Longer programs of study to a DNP exit may have more flexibility.
Learn more about the Nurse Educator Courses and the Post Master's Certificate in Nursing Education.
To add the NE PMC to your plan of study use the "Request for Change of Status" Enrollment form available at https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu/current-students/
Summary
| Nursing Education Course | Credit Hours | Semester Taught | Eligibility | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N8066 | 3 | Fall, Spring | NFLP | NONE |
| Designing Significant Learning Experiences for Nursing Competency Achievement | ||||
| N8067 | 3 | Spring ONLY | NFLP | Completion or concurrent enrollment in N8066 is suggested |
| Assessment & Evaluation Strategies for Nurse Educators | ||||
| N8078 | 3 | Summer ONLY | NLN Certification | Completion of N8066 and N8067 is strongly suggested |
| Advanced Innovations & Technologies for Experiential Learning in Nursing Education | ||||
| N8079 | 3 | Fall ONLY | NE PMC | Completion of N8066, N8067, and N8078 |
| Nurse Educator Role Synthesis: Scholarship & Leadership |
- 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.