Nursing Professor
Overview
Nursing professors teach college students who want to become nurses, covering everything from patient care techniques to medical procedures. They create course materials, run hands-on labs with high-tech patient simulators, and grade assignments while mentoring students through their nursing journey. These educators also conduct research on healthcare topics and work with other faculty to design nursing programs that prepare students for real hospital and clinic environments. Most nursing professors have advanced degrees and years of clinical experience, combining their love of teaching with expertise in healthcare.

Did you know?
Most positions require a Master's degree in Nursing or related field, with many institutions preferring doctoral degrees for tenure-track positions.
At a Glance
Median Wage
$80,414.31 Avg/yr
Growth
Fast Growing
Top Skill
Critical Thinking
Key Responsibilities
- Act as advisers to student organizations.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
- Maintain a clinical practice.
- Assess clinical education needs and patient and client teaching needs using a variety of methods.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
- Participate in campus and community events.
- Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
- Mentor junior and adjunct faculty members.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
- Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
- Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
- Demonstrate patient care in clinical units of hospitals.
- Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as pharmacology, mental health nursing, and community health care practices.
- Coordinate training programs with area universities, clinics, hospitals, health agencies, or vocational schools.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory and clinic work, assignments, and papers.
- Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
- Conduct faculty performance evaluations.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Supervise students' laboratory and clinical work.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
Career Considerations
Advanced Education Requirements
Most positions require a Master's degree in Nursing or related field, with many institutions preferring doctoral degrees for tenure-track positions.
Dual Expertise Necessity
Candidates must maintain both current clinical nursing experience and develop teaching skills to effectively bridge theory and practice for students.
Strong Job Market Demand
The ongoing nursing shortage in America creates high demand for qualified nursing educators across all types of postsecondary institutions.