184 ■ II: ROLES FOR DOCTORAL ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE
the discipline, not the process of teaching. However, individuals who desire
a role as an educator, whether that role is operationalized in a practice envi-
ronment or the academy, should have additional preparation in the science
of pedagogy to augment their ability to transmit the science of the profes-
sion they practice and teach. This additional preparation may occur in formal
course work during the DNP program. (p. 7)
The AACN view of nursing education does not take into account the critical think-
ing and clinical decision- making development needed in the clinically based nursing
profession. Nurse educators teach in a multitude of different realms including the class-
room, online, in simulation laboratories, skills laboratories, and clinical learning envi-
ronments. Each teaching environment leads to a certification or licensure that enables
a student to practice competently and not just “practice specialization within the disci-
pline” (AACN, 2006, p. 7). Promoting a safe nursing practice is not just a matter of dem-
onstration but a condition of enhancing critical thinking and decision making through
expert teaching– learning activities.
This chapter continues to discuss the plight of nurse education through a
multifaceted lens that includes: (a) a discussion about nursing education for nurse edu-
cators, (b) a description of actual educational preparation in a sampling of doctoral pro-
grams, (c) recognizing the certification for nursing education, (d) briefly discussing the
state of nursing education research, (e) addressing the academic expectations of nurse
educators, (f) a descriptive case study of a DNP- prepared nurse educator, (g) recom-
mendations for the future, (h) a reflective response from an expert nurse educator, and
(i) critical thinking questions.
■ EDUCATING THE NURSE EDUCATOR
The NLN has set forth eight core competencies for nurse educators (NLN, 2005) that
make up the standard of practice as defined by the American Nurses Association
(ANA, 2010). The eight core competencies are published with task statements (Halstead,
2007) and they call for expertise in the areas of (a) teaching– learning methodologies,
(b) learner assessment, (c) curriculum development, (d) evaluation strategies of learners
and program outcomes, (e) quality improvement and leadership, and (f) understand-
ing of the academic environment. NLN does not discuss at what educational level—
master’s, post- master’s, or doctoral level— these core competencies are best attained
in order to establish academically qualified nurse educators. NLN does publish nurse
educator certification eligibility standards that place the minimum education for certifi-
cation at the master’s level (Wittmann- Price, Godshall, & Wilson, 2013).
The NLN (2010) also outlines outcomes and competencies for graduates of DNP
programs, which include human flourishing, nursing judgment, professional identity,
and spirit of inquiry. Within the concept of spirit of inquiry is the recommendation to
develop evidence- based knowledge that contributes to nursing education (p. 41).
AACN’s The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (2006)
addresses the role of DNP- prepared nurse educators:
However, individuals who desire a role as an educator, whether that role
is operationalized in a practice environment or the academy, should have
additional preparation in the science of pedagogy to augment their ability to
transmit the science of the profession they practice and teach. This additional
preparation may occur in formal course work during the DNP program. (p. 7)