Travel Nurse Educator Jobs

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and various job sites, the average annual salary of a nurse educator in the United States can range between $70,000 and $100,000. This wide range is due to various factors such as geographical location, years of nurse educator experience, level of education, type of employer (university, hospital, private sector), and specific area of expertise.

A nurse educator is a registered professional nurse who possesses both clinical experience and a passion for teaching. They play a pivotal role in the professional development of current and future nurses, fostering a learning environment that supports continued education and enhances patient care. Nurse educators design and implement educational programs for nursing students and practicing nurses, focusing on areas such as clinical skills, specialized nursing practices, disease management, and healthcare innovation. They may work in a variety of settings including universities, vocational schools, hospital training programs, and community health agencies.

Besides teaching, their responsibilities may also include conducting research, developing and revising curriculum, evaluating student performance, and staying updated with the latest healthcare trends and practices. Furthermore, nurse educators serve as role models and mentors, instilling the professional standards of nursing in their students and promoting a lifelong commitment to learning in the field of healthcare.

Education & License Requirements

To become a Nurse Educator, one must first complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited nursing program and successfully pass the NCLEX-RN exam to become a licensed registered nurse. After gaining a few years of clinical experience, the individual should then pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, specifically choosing a Nurse Educator track if available. This program generally covers advanced nursing theory, teaching and learning strategies, curriculum development, and evaluation techniques. Some prospective registered nurse educators may also opt to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or a PhD in Nursing for more advanced career opportunities.

Certifications

Additional certification, such as the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential, can further enhance the professional standing of nurse educators. The CNE is a nationally recognized certification that demonstrates a nurse's expertise, and commitment to the educational role.

Primarily, traveling nurse educator jobs are available in academic institutions such as universities and colleges, where they instruct undergraduate and postgraduate nursing students in a clinical advancement program. Additionally, they may work in vocational and technical schools, such as those with a nurse aide training program, preparing students for entry-level nursing positions. Hospitals and healthcare facilities may also employ a traveling nurse educator with teaching experience to provide ongoing training and professional development for their nursing staff.

While compensation offers can vary greatly depending on the contract or agency offering, pay packages for traveling nurse educator jobs typically have four major components: hourly taxable wages, meals and incidentals, housing, and travel.

Hourly Pay

Full-time nurses working at healthcare facilities receive a salary, but most travel nursing employers offer hourly wages at a competitive weekly rate. Every pay package for a travel nurse must include a taxable hourly wage, and the amount can vary depending on the shift, location, and specialty required of the assignment.

Housing

Housing payments can be included in a payment from a staffing agency. This is typically offered to a travel nurse in two ways. Either the company is providing housing, or the travel nurse is taking the housing stipend. It is more beneficial for the traveler to take the housing stipend for two primary reasons. First, they will have a choice in where they stay. Everyone’s definitions of comfortable and acceptable are different. The second reason the housing stipend is more beneficial for them is that it can be given as a nontaxable amount.

Meals and Incidentals

Also known as per diems, meal and incidental stipends provide a daily budget for daily living expenses for travel nursing professionals. These standards vary depending on the cost of living in cities and states across the country.

Travel Expenses

Travel is the last portion of the pay package. Many recruiters may not even offer travel and instead put that money into the per diems or housing for their travel nurse so they are receiving the benefits over the entire contract, not just at the very beginning or end of the contract.

While a travel stipend can be used to cover the cost of a flight for the traveler, it is more often than not used to subsidize the traveler's expenses to and from an travel nursing assignment. Travel expenses can be offered as a reimbursement rate per mile, though many agencies will opt to offer a flat rate to and from an assignment.

Many nurses find traveling nurse educator jobs through recruitment agencies and marketplaces, which means you have better access to job boards to choose your schedule, location, and salary. When you begin browsing for travel nurse educator jobs, be sure to consider the housing options, the benefits, the guaranteed hours' policy, and the recruiting company’s overall reputation.

The good news is that Fusion Marketplace has everything registered nurses need when it comes to finding the perfect travel nurse jobs. Here, you have the freedom to compare benefits, packages, and staffing agencies—all in one place. So find your next registered nurse job and build your travel nursing career today.