For online nurse educators teaching academic courses, like biology or human anatomy and physiology, a master's degree or doctorate degree in science or nursing from an accredited university is usually requested by employers.
Nurse educators teaching clinical courses, like community nursing, will usually only need a bachelor's degree preferably in nursing from an accredited university, according to Nursesource.org.
Online nurse educators are required to commit to life long education to continue to have an updated base of knowledge to teach students. Teachers may have to take college courses or complete specific nurse educator certifications to continue teaching nursing students.These courses are usually paid for by the employer.
Nurse educators must also have strong counseling skills and be able to develop a thorough curriculum, so prior teaching or advising experience would be beneficial to teach nursing online.
Nurse educators, especially those looking to teach clinical courses, should have experience working in a hospital, private practice, nursing home or health care agency.
Research experience, experience speaking in nursing conferences and writing grant proposals is something employers may look for in certain online nursing jobs, according to Nursesource.org.
Though teaching experience is helpful, it is not always required so long as there is relevant work experience and a solid academic background.
Online nurse educators are required to meet certain technological criteria before being able to teach. Though requirements will vary by course and school, there are some basic requirements that remain the same from school to school.
For example, to teach online at Baker College, faculty members need to have a computer with Windows XP, Windows Vista or OSX. Their desktop computer or laptop must also have at least two gigabytes of RAM, Microsoft Office 2007, high speed Internet, virus protection software and faculty must have knowledge of how to surf the Internet and send and receive email.