Evidence for Policy and Regulation

Abstract

Nurses often do not become faculty through deliberate intention; rather they enter the role because of circumstance. While they may be expert practitioners, they are often not prepared for faculty roles. Unlike traditional preparation for nursing practice, which requires clinical education, the role of nurse teacher often has no systematic preparation. The purpose of the Nurse Faculty Intern (NFI) Pilot Study was to investigate the role development of nurse educators and the mechanism by which graduate students gain competencies related to pedagogy through practical experience and a relationship with mentors. Results from the study revealed need for intentional role development for the NFI. Even though NFI’s had many years of nursing experience, they expressed the need for orientation to teaching pedagogy to better use their nursing knowledge when working with students. This article will present the findings and recommendations from the study.