Why I Am a Nurse Educator

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I always wanted to be a nurse. As a little girl, I set the badly broken bones of beloved baby dolls, bandaged the critical surgical wounds of my treasured teddy bears, and instilled a variety of watercolor “medications” into the floppy ears of a favorite stuffed hippopotamus. I had no backup plan; I just wanted to be a nurse. And then one day, years into my nursing career, a thought from out of the blue changed my world: Maybe it would be fun teaching nursing.

Just like the role of the registered nurse, the responsibilities of the nurse educator are diverse, challenging, and fulfilling. As educators, we teach a variety of subjects to students from diverse cultures and backgrounds who have unique abilities and personal struggles.

Nurse educators must be able to integrate current clinical practice with progressive academic theory and effectively share their expertise with students at varying levels of comprehension and proficiency. We do this in multiple settings beyond the classroom, including hospitals, clinics, schools, homes, churches, and around the world. Nurse educators are challenged to communicate clearly, teach creatively, facilitate learning effectively, and evaluate objectively. We are role models, innovators, critical thinkers, mentors, cheerleaders, and confidants.

I teach nursing to help make the hopes, dreams, and ambitions of little girls and boys, teenagers, young adults, and second- and third-career adults come true. Though far from being a wish-granting, dream-bestowing Disney movie fairy godmother, as a nurse educator I have the awesome opportunity to participate in an amazing educational process that influences character, builds confidence, promotes professionalism, encourages compassion, and commands competency.

It has been reported for the past 15 years that the profession of nursing ranks first as the most trustworthy occupation. I get to share responsibility for helping produce trustworthy nurses who work with purpose, serve with excellence, and care with kindness.

Nursing school is rigorous, often reported as one of the hardest undergraduate degrees. At Northwest University, I appreciate the freedom as a nurse educator to integrate my faith in all I do and encourage students spiritually as well as academically. My passion to see students successfully achieve their dreams drives me to work hard on behalf of my students. My Christian faith has empowered me to be who I am and do what I do.

I have been given the gift of teaching and love to encourage students through identifying learning needs and improving academic and clinical competence and confidence. Encouragement involves coming alongside students, praying with them, taking time with them, building them up, listening to them, instilling faith, and imparting courage. Encouragement strengthens and empowers students to impact their world as excellent nurses. My prayer is that each of my students will do more than “just make it” through nursing school, but that they will tenaciously thrive throughout their entire nursing careers.

I recently traveled to Bethel, Alaska, which is one of the Buntain College of Nursing’s cross-cultural sites. While there, I had opportunity to meet with several of our graduates who are currently working in various healthcare positions. As I talked with them, I was amazed at all they were doing professionally and personally. They were working as charge nurses, nurse educators, clinical educators, emergency nurses, pediatric nurses, and labor and delivery nurses. They were volunteering in youth groups and camps and sharing their homes with at-risk teens. When I asked about their long-term goals, each one shared a dream to bring hope and healing through Jesus Christ through development of healthcare programs for young moms, activity centers and camps for youth, and increased involvement in local churches.

Listening intently, I was astounded by what these graduates have accomplished, moved by their passion for nursing and ministry, and hopeful for what was still to come. They were strong, full of faith, courageous, and impacting their world as excellent nurses. I was gently reminded that though as a nurse educator I may help make dreams come true, the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONE true dream-giver and that nothing is impossible for him. As Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” 

Cheri Goit RN, MN

Associate Professor

Northwest University

Buntain College of Nursing