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What is an adjunct clinical instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Stephanie Opfer

Adjunct clinical instructors assist in the supervision of all the clinical activities of nursing students in a clinical environment. They are responsible for providing adequate guidance, giving effective instruction, and evaluating the clinical performance of the nursing students. They do this by employing a range of suitable strategies that aid in fostering student learning, stimulate class discussions, and encourage active learning.

Adjunct clinical instructors typically report to the lead faculty member of their assigned course. They usually work in hospitals, laboratories, community facilities, universities, private clinics, rehabilitation centers, or nursing homes. A successful adjunct clinical instructor should have the relevant technical skills, teaching ability, leadership skills, communication skills, and attention to detail.

An adjunct clinical instructor works 40 hours a week. They may work extra hours in instances where students need extra lessons.

What general advice would you give to an adjunct clinical instructor?

Dr. Stephanie Opfer

Associate Professor of English, Assistant Dean of the School of Creative and Media Arts, Tiffin University

Because of the state of higher education in our country today, teaching in higher education can be a difficult field to break into. However, most colleges and universities still hire adjunct instructors (part-time instructors). Students shouldn't be afraid to teach as an adjunct for a while to get some experience and decide if teaching is for them.
ScoreAdjunct Clinical InstructorUS Average
Salary
5.3

Avg. Salary $67,696

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.6

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.22%

Black or African American 7.29%

Hispanic or Latino 10.38%

Unknown 4.96%

White 65.87%

Gender

female 85.86%

male 14.14%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Adjunct clinical instructor career paths

Key steps to become an adjunct clinical instructor

  1. Explore adjunct clinical instructor education requirements

    Most common adjunct clinical instructor degrees

    Bachelor's

    45.7 %

    Master's

    27.4 %

    Associate

    19.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific adjunct clinical instructor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients12.03%
    Semester7.88%
    BSN7.31%
    Student Learning5.93%
    Student Performance5.56%
  3. Complete relevant adjunct clinical instructor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New adjunct clinical instructors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an adjunct clinical instructor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real adjunct clinical instructor resumes.
  4. Research adjunct clinical instructor duties and responsibilities

    • Manage, direct, and teach ADN nursing students in the clinical setting in Tulsa hospitals.
    • Supervise junior and senior level undergraduate nursing students during their general pediatrics and critical care clinical.
    • Assign and follow nursing students on ICU and other floors.
    • Serve as a clinical instructor for nurses in an ADN program rotating through obstetrics.
  5. Prepare your adjunct clinical instructor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your adjunct clinical instructor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an adjunct clinical instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable adjunct clinical instructor resume templates

    Build a professional adjunct clinical instructor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your adjunct clinical instructor resume.
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    Adjunct Clinical Instructor Resume
    Adjunct Clinical Instructor Resume
    Adjunct Clinical Instructor Resume
  6. Apply for adjunct clinical instructor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an adjunct clinical instructor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first adjunct clinical instructor job

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Average adjunct clinical instructor salary

The average adjunct clinical instructor salary in the United States is $67,696 per year or $33 per hour. Adjunct clinical instructor salaries range between $41,000 and $110,000 per year.

Average adjunct clinical instructor salary
$67,696 Yearly
$32.55 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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