What is a clinical nurse educator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.

A clinical nurse educator combines nursing expertise with a passion for teaching to train and educate nursing staff. They develop curriculum,deliver training programs, and evaluate students or staff. Clinical nurse educators also serve as mentors to new nurses and provide ongoing education to current staff for new technologies and medical advancements. They may work in hospitals, clinics, or educational institutions to improve patient outcomes by ensuring that nurses possess the necessary skills and knowledge.

What general advice would you give to a clinical nurse educator?

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.

Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University

One of the suggestions for new graduates is the importance of self-care. We have long known of the demanding nature of the nursing practice. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the nursing role's critical importance and the unique contributions made by nursing professionals. As the healthcare environment is extremely complex and challenging, nurses must remember to advocate for themselves and prioritize self-care.

ScoreClinical Nurse EducatorUS Average

Salary

5.9

Avg. Salary $76,107

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.93%

Black or African American 11.39%

Hispanic or Latino 9.09%

Unknown 4.27%

White 65.87%

Gender

female 89.31%

male 10.69%

Age - 43

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 - 43

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a clinical nurse educator?

Pros

Flexibility in work schedule and location
Competitive salary and benefits
Exposure to new and innovative medical technologies
Variety of teaching methods to use
Opportunity to improve clinical knowledge and skills

Cons

Long hours and irregular shifts
Limited opportunities for advancement within the role
Risk of burnout due to high demands of the job
Difficulty in finding work-life balance
Need to maintain licensure and continuing education requirements

Key steps to become a clinical nurse educator

Explore clinical nurse educator education requirements

Most common clinical nurse educator degrees

Bachelor's

50.0 %

Associate

23.3 %

Master's

21.2 %

Start to develop specific clinical nurse educator skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	15.86%
BLS	7.42%
Professional Development	5.11%
BSN	4.26%
Clinical Education	4.17%

Complete relevant clinical nurse educator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New clinical nurse educators 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 a clinical nurse educator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real clinical nurse educator resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed clinical nurse educator usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed clinical nurse educator in most of states. 43 states require clinical nurse educators to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Alabama	Degree required	State exam required	Registered Nurse (RN)
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Registered
Arkansas	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Registered Nurse (RN)
California	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Registered
Colorado	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Registered Nurse

Gain additional clinical nurse educator certifications

Clinical nurse educator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific clinical nurse educator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for clinical nurse educators include Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS) and Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC).

More About Certifications

Research clinical nurse educator duties and responsibilities

Demonstrate clinical competency and compassion in providing care, using technology, administering medications, performing procedures and managing emergencies
Coordinate monthly certifications (CPR, ACLS, NRP).
Coordinate BLS HeartCode training and teach BLS - CPR to staff.
Teach CPR/BLS and ACLS to staff and lay people for certification.

Prepare your clinical nurse educator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your clinical nurse educator 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 a clinical nurse educator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable clinical nurse educator resume templates

Build a professional clinical nurse educator 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 clinical nurse educator resume.