Nurse Educator Career InvestigationIntroductionThe nurse educator career is an all-encompassing term that refers to those nursing occupations that educate and demonstrate patient care, whether in clinical settings in the workplace, or as lectures, in a classroom context. A current employment resource outlines some of the job titles that fall into the nursing educator category, which include: Faculty of Nursing, Professor of Nursing, Instructor of Nursing, Associate Professor of Nursing, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Clinical Nursing Instructor (O* NET Online, 2011). This report will provide a general overview of the various branches of nursing educators in the post-secondary educational setting and will include information regarding the training, job description, application, legality, and nursing theory associated with the nurse educator career. Salary To properly investigate a profession such as a nurse educator, it is important to address the fundamental aspects of required education, professional training, and average salary. As the O*NET OnLine resource discloses, 55% of nursing instructors and teachers in the post-secondary educational context have a master's degree, while 37% have a doctorate or professional degree, and the remaining 6% have only an associate's degree (O*NET OnLine Online, 2011). Another career search site states that certified nurse educators must have a valid registered nursing license, in the United States or one of its territories, with the primary emphasis of their degree on nursing education. It is also common for nurse educators to have gained substantial clinical experience before even attempting this field. Those who maintain their clinical training, through ongoing work... middle of paper..., reach the stage of expert competence, where the nurse's level of mastery allows for the sharing and dissemination of broad knowledge to those still in the development phase (Kodesia, 2013). All nursing educators should possess the level of expertise of expert, in their specific educational subject, in order to better facilitate beneficial education for their students. Conclusion Careers within the specialty of nursing education offer a wide range of professional contexts, a confident and expansive professional outlook. , substantial financial benefits, and the personal fulfillment of contributing to the future of nursing practice and quality patient care. All aspiring nurses who possess the disposition, communication skills, and desire to educate should consider the highly beneficial and rewarding specialty of nurse educator..