Nursing Education Resource Guide

From caring for patients in critical care settings to teaching nursing classes in colleges or healthcare institutions, a background in nursing or nursing education can lead to a variety of careers. Whether you’re a current nurse seeking to become a nurse educator, a nursing student or just someone interested in nursing, you will find a lot of useful information in this guide. You’ll find everything from study and teaching resources to links for professional associations, blogs, podcasts and more. Use the 40+ links in this guide to enhance your career, boost your nursing studies or simply develop a deeper understanding of what it’s like to pursue or advance a career in the nursing or nursing education fields.

General Nursing Education Resources

Get a feel for what nurses and nurse educators do, professional development, responsibilities and more using the links below. This information contains something for everyone, from interested students to those already established in their career.

Professional Nurse Educators Group – A networking group providing conferences, forums and collaboration for those in or seeking to enter this profession.

Nursing Education: Past, Present and Future – An article about the history and development of nursing education.

The Truth About Nursing – An extensive Q & A covering everything from curriculum planning for nurse professors to the value of nursing.

Why Be a Nurse? – Look over a brief overview of the benefits and advantages to pursuing a career in nursing.

Nurse Educator Overview – Presented by Nurses for a Healthier Tomorrow, a coalition of nursing and healthcare organizations, this article covers the roles, specialties, qualifications and professional work settings of nurse educators.

NurseZone – Follow links to current news about the nursing field, from legislative updates to standards, priorities and even tips on how to work long nursing shifts.

National Council of State Boards of Nursing – Education – Find links to articles about nursing program accreditation, evidence-based nursing education, simulated learning and innovative nursing education.

University of California OERN – The Open Educational Resources for Nurses (OERN) is a directory for nursing education students or professionals seeking online courses, training, social networking and more.

George Washington University School of Nursing Open Educational Resources – Intended for nurse educators, these resources cover topics in advanced nursing education, geriatric care, technological teaching tools and communication practices.

Nursing Education Study Resources

Studying to become a nurse or nurse educator is not an easy process. What degree should you pursue? What are the studies like? What can you do to enhance your nursing learning experience? How can you prepare for certification and/or licensure exams? The resources below are designed to help you answer these types of questions.

10 Study Tips That Will Make Nursing School Easier – An article providing helpful strategies you can take when enrolled in nursing classes.

Career Pathways in Nursing – Should you pursue an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing? Or will completing a diploma program be adequate to meet your career goals? This article, presented by The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, details types of nursing degree and non-degree programs.

Nursing Study Guide – A free, extensive guide covering general and specialist nurse practices and responsibilities.

Nursing Education and Career Resources – Presented by LPN to RN Degree Online, this resource provides links to articles about online nursing programs, nursing career specialties and tips and strategies for nursing students.

NCLEX Practice Questions – Test yourself on material you would find on the actual national nursing licensure exam with this free 75-question review.

Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification Practice Test – Take a quick, free test to check your knowledge about material you would be tested on when taking the Basic Life Support certification exam, which is a certification most nurses typically possess.

How Students Can Prepare for the NCLEX – Four helpful tips to help you be prepared for the national nurse licensure exam.

Nursing Education Teaching Resources

The links below would be particularly helpful if you are considering or in the process of changing your career from a clinical nurse to nurse educator. You will find insightful articles into what it takes to become a nurse educator and what the job entails as well as teaching tools and other resources.

Nursing Education Modules – Find free video modules for nursing educators that discuss such topics as the integration of clinical practice, curriculum development, interactivity in the classroom and more.

Nursing Professor – With links to internet resources, publications and case studies, nurse educators can find information about any type of class they might be teaching, from primary care to specialty areas such as pediatrics and gerontology.

National League for Nursing Teaching Resources – From faculty toolkits to simulated courses, this organization provides links to various resources for nursing educators.

How to Become a Nursing Teacher – An in-depth article covering the track to become a nursing educator as well as job outlook and salary info.

Transitioning from Nursing Practice to a Teaching Role – In this article from The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, you will find details about challenges, qualifications, professional development, skills and other information for professional nurses who are seeking to become educators in the field.

International Family Nursing Association Education Resources – From simulation videos to webinars addressing teaching strategies, these resources are geared toward nursing educators in the field of family nursing.

Nursing Career Path Resources

There are many options open to you if you are currently pursuing a nursing education. The links below provide insight into the different careers you might consider in nursing and what you need to do to enter this field.

How to Become a Nurse: Nursing Programs and Careers – Read about different levels of nursing, current trends in the field, relevant academic paths and more.

Nurse Occupation Profile – From a job description overview to lists of skills and tasks, this link provides insight into being a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse. Includes a career video!

How to Become a Nurse – A Q & A session covering educational and training needs for nurses as well as licensing information, career prospects and other details about becoming and working as a nurse.

Working as a Registered Nurse (RN) – Get a detailed overview of job responsibilities, places of employment, internships and licensure if you wish to become a RN.

Nursing Specialties – Find details about 15 specialties in the nursing field, from ER and Critical Care to PACU and Neonatal.

Nursing Associations

As with many professions, you will find that professional nursing associations provide abundant information about career responsibilities, choices, licensure and certification, professional development and links to journals, articles and other publications. Refer to the list below to get an idea about some of the organizations and resources available to you as a professional nursing or nursing student.

American Nurses Association (ANA) – The leading organization for registered nurses, ANA offers nursing students and licensed professionals links to industry news, a career center, job search tips and other helpful resources.

American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) – From conferences and webinar series to certification and continuing education information, the AACN provides all of the details you need to know about being or becoming a critical care nurse.

Association of Community Health Nursing Educators – Find information about professional development opportunities and public advocacy activities for those interested in becoming or currently working as community health nurse educators.

National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) – As the definitive association for clinical nurse specialists, this organization provides conferences, advocacy news, education information and links to relevant publications for those working in or interested in learning more about this field of nursing.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) – A professional organization for those pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in nursing education, AACN offers advocacy services, conferences, webinars and information about industry standards.

National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) – An organization devoted to providing support to those pursing initial RN licensure, NSNA offers members links to relevant publications and hosts meetings and conferences focusing on career planning, workshops and advocacy.

State Nursing Associations – Find a list of state-based nursing associations or state chapters of national associations using the links on this page.

Nursing Career Transition Resources

Are you working as a RN and want to become a nurse supervisor? Maybe you have worked in a clinical setting and now want to teach nursing classes. Whatever the case, the following links provide helpful information if you’re considering changing careers within the nursing field.

Nursing Career Transition – Get a personal account of one nurse’s change from being a RN to becoming a supervisor helping nurses transition in their careers.

Tips for a Smooth Nursing Career Transition – Review a few tips to help you if you are contemplating making a career change within the nursing field.

Transitioning into a Medical Sales Career – Learn how you can apply your nursing skills in a non-clinical career such as medical sales.

Managing the Transition from RN to Nurse Management – Get personal insight into how to change your career from a clinical nurse to a management role.

Nurse Career Blogs

One of the best ways to find out more about a nursing career is to hear about it from those who are performing the job on a daily basis. Below, you will find links to several blogs written by RNs, nurse educators, nurse administrators and others in the field.

Correctionalnurse.net – Read blog posts and watch podcasts from nurse educator Lorry Schoenly, covering such topics as patient safety, nursing challenges and various aspects of correctional nursing roles and responsibilities.

The Nerdy Nurse – From reviews of nursing shoes to links to nursing books, this blog, written by a clinical informatics nurse, discusses topics you will need to know when preparing to become or working as a nurse.

Rtconnections – Hosted by a nursing professional, this blog offers career tips and strategies, nursing trends, nursing practices and more.

Minding the Bedside – RN and author Jerome Stone provides blogs that help nurses understand the stress of working in the field and how to successfully cope with it.

The Nursing Site Blog – A nurse with over 30 years’ experience offers blogs directed toward seasoned professionals and those new to the nursing profession, covering everything from healthcare trends to professional development.

Nurse Career Podcasts

If you find audio and video presentations more effective than reading a blog or a book about nursing, then these podcasts will be beneficial if you’re thinking about a career as a nurse. See nurses in action, hear interviews with professionals and more by accessing the links below.

The Nursing Show – A video blog that addresses everything from finding a nursing job to interviews with real-life nurses currently working in various healthcare settings.

The Nursing Crash Cart – A visual presentation of life as an ER nurse.

Nursing Notes Live – Find interviews with nurses in various specialties to get an up-close look at the roles and responsibilities of different types of nurses.

Evidence-Based Nursing – Choose from dozens of podcasts that discuss various aspect of nurse care.

RN FM Radio – Get personal insights, true stories, nursing trends and career tips from professional RNs.