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Master of Science in Nursing Online: Nursing Education Specialization

For a total of 33 credit hours, the Nursing Education Specialization of the Master of Science in Nursing Online degree is designed to prepare nurses to teach in post-secondary nursing programs, including schools of practical nursing, associate degree programs, and baccalaureate programs. The master’s in nursing education track also prepares leaders for staff education positions within a health care system or public health organizations.

As with all of OCU’s online MSN programs, the Nursing Education Specialization is 100% online with no on-campus or clinical requirements, giving you a flexible path to reach your career goals.

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Nurse educator roles by the numbers:¹

8,800

Projected job openings from 2022-2032

≥9%

growth rate, much faster than average

$80,780

Median annual salary

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Considering a nursing degree to take your career to the next level? Your journey starts here. Complete the form to get a program brochure for the Oklahoma City University MSN Online.

Get valuable insights into the OCU online experience, learn more about specialization options, and see where this degree can take you.

What can you do with an MSN in nursing education?

Pursue a master's in nursing education specialty to open yourself up to exciting opportunities to educate the next generation of nurses, while embedding yourself at the forefront of innovation and new developments in the field. A master’s in nursing education gives you the ability to personalize and take your career in various directions based on your interests. Additionally, you’ll gain access to competitive salaries and find more job opportunities in a field growing much faster than other professions.¹

Kramer School of Nursing on shoulder of nurse wearing scrubs

Three nurses in scrubs looking at notebook

In a nursing education role you might:

✓ Develop curriculum, assessments, and learning experiences

✓ Help nurses gain hands-on experience in new techniques and best practices

✓ Attend and present at professional conferences

✓ Conduct research and/or write grant proposals

✓ Educate patients and the public

Course Highlight: Technology Strategies in Digital and Online Courses

In this course, students will explore the art of instruction via digital learning modalities that serve as increasingly common approaches to nursing education. Modalities to be studied include: asynchronous, synchronous, blended, and massive open online courses (MOOCs). Applying what they’ve learned along with their own experiences in the online MSN program, students will practice both facilitation and evaluation of online courses. A crucial course for future nursing educators, the class will also include a close analysis of the professional, ethical, and legal implications of pursuing nursing education online.

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Common MSN Nursing Education roles:

The advantage of earning a master’s in nursing education is that you get to build an entirely new set of educator skills through your specialization courses, on top of enhancing your basic nursing skills and knowledge.

Clinical nurse educator

Work on staff or as a consultant to help nurses gain hands-on experience in new techniques, best practices, and new protocols; participate in new employee orientation and training

Instructional nurse faculty

Work in a more traditional nurse educator role, most likely in a university setting

Staff development nurse

Work in a community or governmental health agency to educate the public as well as other staff members

Patient educator

Work in a clinical setting, developing and implementing patient education materials and programs that help them and their families with understanding diagnoses and care

“A lot of self-reflection as a person has to be completed before you can go and teach students. A lot of what I'm learning is about figuring out who I am as a nurse and who I want to be: Who do I portray to students? It's been very helpful for me.”

Megan L., MSN in Education ’23

MSN Online: Nursing Education Specialization curriculum

Along with enhancing your basic nursing skills and knowledge through the core MSN curriculum, you’ll build an entirely new set of educator skills like curriculum development, best practices for instruction, course evaluation, and more through 21 credit hours of educator-focused courses.

NURS 5203 Curriculum Development in Nursing Education (3 credit hours)

Domains of learning and curriculum theory, design, implementation, and evaluation of nursing education curricula. Analysis of selected curricula using established standards.

NURS 5222 Technology Strategies in Digital and Online Courses (2 credit hours)

Introduction to digital learning modalities such as asynchronous, synchronous, blended, massive open online courses (MOOCs), etc. Coursework involves facilitation and evaluation of online courses. Analysis of professional, ethical, and legal implications.

NURS 5232 Teaching Strategies for Simulation in Nursing Education (2 credit hours)

Introduction to the concepts of simulation pedagogy in nursing education. Simulation-based educational strategies are introduced preparing course participants to function independently in simulation environments. Analysis of professional, ethical, and legal implications of simulation.

NURS 5402 Teaching Strategies for Nursing Education (2 credit hours)

Educational theories and strategies for teaching and learning are integrated to address diverse needs and learning styles. The influence of legal and ethical issues on education will also be addressed.

NURS 5703 Educational Ethics and Health Care Policy (3 credit hours)

Nursing and healthcare public policy development from agenda setting, policy formation, policy implementation, and policy evaluation at the national, state, and local levels. The influence of ethical issues on policy development will be considered.

NURS 6153 Nursing Education Evaluation Strategies (3 credit hours)

Theories and strategies for evaluation of learning in classroom and clinical environments.

NURS 6412 Advanced Health Assessment for Nurse Educators (2 credit hours)

Application of advanced health assessment principles and skills across the lifespan. Opportunities provided to perform comprehensive psychosocial, spiritual developmental, cultural, and physical assessment. Provides graduate students in the nurse educator track with graduate level theoretical and clinical knowledge required to teach health assessment to students enrolled in basic nursing education programs. Does not transfer to nurse practitioner tracks.

NURS 6414 Advanced Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nurse Educators (4 credit hours)

Study of physiologic concepts, adaptations, and alterations that occur in selected disease processes using a systems approach. Principles of pharmacology in relation to various patient populations and disease processes. Builds upon previously learned principles of physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. Provides graduate students in the nurse educator track with graduate level theoretical and clinical knowledge. Applies this knowledge to educational delivery in undergraduate nursing education programs. Does not transfer to nurse practitioner tracks.

MSN in education blogs

Career spotlight: Nurse educator

Working in nurse education can be a rewarding career path that provides a variety of opportunities but also requires academic commitment and professional exploration. Learn from OCU student and nurse educator, Megan Leach.

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Non-bedside nursing careers

Nursing is a broad profession that can have an immense impact wherever you want to take it. While there’s no question that bedside nurses play indispensable roles in patient care, there’s a myriad of nursing careers that prioritize a nurse’s other strengths or interests.

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Nurse educator programs online

To help prepare the next generation, nurse educators equip new nurses with the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of patients and health care systems. The demand for these nurse educators is expected to grow 22% by 2030, largely due to our increasingly aging population and a shortage of nursing professionals.

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Make your mark in this era of nursing and the next with an MSN in Nursing Education

Further your career, earn a higher salary and work a more traditional schedule when you delve into nursing education with an MSN online. Whether you’re interested in working in higher education faculty, within a hospital as a staff educator, or with a governmental or non-profit agency educating your community on top public health concerns, you can lead a dynamic career with increasing impact when you choose a specialization in education. Earn your master’s degree and pay it forward with an online MSN in Nursing Education.

Work, learn, teach, repeat with an MSN in Nursing Education

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Sources

Retrieved on June 5, 2023, from onetonline.org/link/summary/25-1072.00#WagesEmployment