Competencies of novice nurse educators

Appropriate preparation for the nurse faculty role has been debated for many years. Currently, the master of science in nursing (MSN) is considered to be the minimal acceptable preparation. The focus of most MSN programs, however, is advanced knowledge and skill in clinical nursing. The purpose of this study is to identify the perceptions of novice nurse faculty concerning nurse faculty competencies, to ascertain the extent to which novice nurse faculty demonstrate the competencies, and to determine mechanisms through which competencies are obtained. The findings indicate that many novice nurse faculty are not educationally prepared for the faculty role.