I am planning to become an academic nurse educator. I am a registered nurse, but I anticipate acquiring an advanced nursing degree (an MSN program) to exhibit the competence to teach a nursing curriculum in a healthcare setting as well as to train, develop, and motivate other nurses. Therefore, I should develop knowledge, abilities, and skills to become an effective nurse educator. Some of the areas I need to improve may include leadership skills, communication abilities, problem-solving, and decision-making skills to impart knowledge to my students (Grassley & Lambe, 2015). I should also learn how to design, evaluate, update, and implement a nursing curriculum. Since I plan to teach in one specialty, which includes nursing informatics, I should develop experience and skills in nursing informatics and health information technology. Besides, I should learn and understand current nursing technologies and methods to maintain a leading edge in my practice.
I have identified specific strategies to acquire the knowledge, abilities, and skills to become a competent nurse educator. I will go back to the university and pursue the MSN program that will allow me to develop the identified skills and expertise. The program will provide an opportunity to draw knowledge from course instructors, learn through books, interact with peers, and engage in group discussions. I should also have a mentor to assist me in understanding the requirements for a nurse educator (Goodrich, 2014). Another approach that I plan to develop diverse knowledge and skills is through research. I will conduct empirical studies and obtain information from the library and online databases to improve my skills as a nursing educator. It is necessary to add to the current body of knowledge through research.