Nurse Educator Job Description Template

A nurse educator, often called a clinical nurse educator or nurse instructor, provides teaching and guidance to aspiring nurses and those already working in the profession. These clinicians work in a variety of settings, including university classrooms, hospital units, and healthcare administrative offices.

In light of the ongoing nursing instructor shortage, it can be even more challenging to recruit applicants with the necessary passion and experience. If you need to hire one of these specialized clinicians, a tailored nurse educator job description can help you attract a top-tier employee. In this article, we outline the skills and duties of nurse educators and show you how to highlight these points in your job description to attract qualified candidates.

Before drafting your job description, it can help to conduct background research on the nursing education job market. Browsing current nurse educator job postings can help you determine the salary range and schedule options you should offer to make your position competitive. Then, take some time to organize a list of unique interview questions to help you pick the best candidate for the job.

Nurse Educator

Tips: It’s important to start your nurse educator job description by introducing the basics of the position. Briefly describe the duties they’d be required to perform and specify the setting they’d be expected to work in. Clarify the professional experience you’re looking for to optimize the quality of your applicant pool. Be sure to provide insight into your mission, vision, and values and highlight any certifications or accolades awarded to your team.

Template:

Here at [facility name], we’re looking to hire a nurse educator for our acute care facility. As the newest member of our clinical education team, you’ll be expected to provide training, advocacy, and mentorship to our newly hired graduates as they begin their nursing careers.

This is an office-based role, where you’ll work closely with other human resources team members to design educational programs and initiatives that improve staff satisfaction and retention. You’ll also be expected to visit our affiliated nursing schools and acute care hospitals to provide outreach and career guidance to nursing students and professionals.

Qualified applicants will have over three years of bedside nursing experience and two years of recent experience in a similar nursing educator, preceptor, or clinical instructor role. If this sounds like a job you’re interested in, continue reading as we outline the duties, responsibilities, and scheduling requirements for the position.

Benefits

Tips: Be sure to list your organization’s perks near the top of your clinical nurse educator job description. Many employees looking to switch jobs will prioritize positions offering a comprehensive benefits package over those with a higher salary. Take the opportunity to draw in these individuals by listing your company’s professional, financial, and lifestyle incentives.

Template:

• Competitive pay
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• FSA/HSA options
• 401(k) matching
• Paid vacation/holiday/family leave
• Free continuing education (CE) courses
• Subsidized public transportation

Clinical Nurse Educator Roles and Responsibilities

Tips: Nurse educator responsibilities differ depending on each facility’s size, acuity, and patient population. Some organizations use the same instructors to teach nursing professionals in classrooms and patient care units. Others have distinct teams to cover each group of learners. In this section of your nursing educator job description, review the scope of educators at your facility and highlight the duties they’re expected to perform.

Template:

Clinical nurse educator duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Teaching nursing students and newly-hired nursing professionals in the classroom setting
• Serving as a clinical instructor for students new to patient care
• Creating lesson plans, giving lectures, and designing research projects to disseminate evidence-based practices
• Working with school of nursing faculty to develop core curriculum courses and design clinical practicum assignments
• Assessing learning by grading examinations, marking attendance, and evaluating participation in educational exercises

Nurse Educator Salary and Schedule Requirements

Tips: In any job market, it’s important to be transparent when advertising open positions. Being honest about the pay and schedule options you’re able to provide can save you and your applicants time and effort later in the hiring process.

Your clinical nurse educator job description should list the position’s salary or hourly rate along with the expected work hours. Make sure to also specify whether the employee would be expected to work weekends, holidays, or on-call shifts. Mentioning any opportunities for pay bonuses or step increases can help you interest those looking to meet long-term career growth goals.

Template:

• Starting salary of $120,000, with adjustments subject to education level and relevant leadership experience
• Annual salary step increases are offered after strong employee performance reviews
• No weekend, night, on-call, or holiday requirements
• 5 scheduled 8-hour day shifts (8a-4p) per week
• Bi-weekly or weekly pay schedule

Nurse Educator Qualifications and Skills

Tips: In this section of the nurse educator job description, highlight the exact skills and expertise you’re looking for. Be sure to outline your facility’s nurse educator education requirements, as well as any unique training or certifications you’d expect a candidate to have. Specifying which nurse educator qualifications are required and which are preferred can ensure you don’t lose candidates who may not feel fully qualified for the role.

Template:

Required Qualifications:

• Active and unencumbered RN license
• BSN required, MSN preferred
• BLS, ACLS, and PALS certified
• 2 years of experience working in an acute care nurse educator role
• Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) certification

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5+ years of nurse educator experience
• Thorough understanding of state Nurse Practice Act rules and regulations
• Impeccable organization, time management, and critical-thinking skills

Call to Action

Tips: Now that you’ve outlined the details of the position, it’s time to lead employees straight to the application. Include a call to action button titled “Apply Now” or “Click Here to Apply” to encourage potential applicants to get started right away.

Template:

Ready to start guiding and educating the next generation of nurses? Click “Apply Now” to begin filling out your application today. The entire process takes less than 10 minutes. Thank you for your interest — we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Find the Nursing Professionals You Need, All in One Place

Developing a well-written nurse educator job description is the first step to recruiting an exceptional employee for your clinical team. Save additional time and effort by posting your job descriptions straight to our nursing job board. We’ll showcase your position to a nationwide network of healthcare professionals who are ready and able to work.