What Do Nursing Instructors Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for nursing instructors?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what nursing instructors do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Nursing Instructors Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about nursing instructors by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Nursing Instructors aggregate category equivalent to SOC group 25-1000. Teach undergraduate and graduate level courses in their specialized field of study. Include both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of both teaching and research. Alternate titles: College Professor.
Popular Job Titles For Nursing Instructors
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Adjunct Faculties
- Adjunct Instructors
- Instructors
- Assistant/Associate Professors
- Assistant Professors
- Non-Tenure Track Faculties
- Nursing Faculties
- University Professors
- After School Instructors
- Nursing Instructors
- Assistant/Associate/Full Professors
- College Instructors
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for nursing instructors can be found.
Best Industries for Nursing Instructors
Nursing Instructors Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 44.8%
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 34.6%
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 15.1%
- Technical and Trade Schools: 2.4%
- Junior Colleges: 0.7%
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 0.6%
- Other: 1.8%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of nursing instructors can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (State Government) sector. In 2022, about 44.8% of all jobs for nursing instructors were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (34.6%), Education and Hospitals (Local Government) (15.1%), Technical and Trade Schools (2.4%), Junior Colleges (0.7%) and General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (0.6%).
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What Do Nursing Instructors Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what nursing instructors do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work nursing instructors do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that nursing instructors tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for nursing instructors, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Nursing Instructors
Based on 348,263 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Nursing Instructors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum Development | 39,666 | 11% |
| Nursing | 35,382 | 10% |
| Pedagogy | 20,208 | 6% |
| Learning Management Systems | 19,504 | 6% |
| Biology | 18,876 | 5% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Nursing Instructors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 237,838 | 68% |
| Communications | 102,095 | 29% |
| Research | 98,258 | 28% |
| Writing | 54,770 | 16% |
| Leadership | 48,553 | 14% |
Based on 348,263 job postings related to nursing instructors, curriculum development was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 11% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for nursing, pedagogy, learning management systems, biology and lesson planning were also highly sought.
As for common skills, teaching was the most desired skill found in job postings for nursing instructors, followed by communications, research, writing, leadership and management.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum Development | 39,666 | 11% |
| Nursing | 35,382 | 10% |
| Pedagogy | 20,208 | 6% |
| Learning Management Systems | 19,504 | 6% |
| Biology | 18,876 | 5% |
| Lesson Planning | 18,746 | 5% |
| Psychology | 16,400 | 5% |
| Syllabus Development | 15,797 | 5% |
| Computer Science | 15,371 | 4% |
| Lecturing | 15,302 | 4% |
| Student Engagement | 14,812 | 4% |
| Online Teaching | 14,740 | 4% |
| Educational Assessment | 14,538 | 4% |
| Marketing | 14,497 | 4% |
| Social Sciences | 12,486 | 4% |
| Distance Learning | 12,418 | 4% |
| Academic Advising | 12,388 | 4% |
| Adult Education | 12,317 | 4% |
| Health Sciences | 12,144 | 3% |
| Student Learning Outcomes | 11,918 | 3% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 237,838 | 68% |
| Communications | 102,095 | 29% |
| Research | 98,258 | 28% |
| Writing | 54,770 | 16% |
| Leadership | 48,553 | 14% |
| Management | 47,881 | 14% |
| Mentorship | 39,536 | 11% |
| Innovation | 35,374 | 10% |
| Advising | 34,555 | 10% |
| Planning | 33,375 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 30,620 | 9% |
| Mathematics | 27,725 | 8% |
| English Language | 26,361 | 8% |
| Presentations | 20,954 | 6% |
| Customer Service | 20,423 | 6% |
| Operations | 20,367 | 6% |
| Professionalism | 18,947 | 5% |
| Microsoft Office | 18,842 | 5% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 18,182 | 5% |
| Problem Solving | 17,951 | 5% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Nursing Instructors
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Faculties | 22,308 | 16.5% |
| Adjunct Instructors | 14,177 | 10.5% |
| Instructors | 11,302 | 8.4% |
| Assistant/Associate Professors | 7,337 | 5.4% |
| Assistant Professors | 11,850 | 8.8% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was adjunct faculties, with 11,982 unique job postings. Adjunct instructors were second, with 3,890 postings, followed by instructors, assistant/associate professors and assistant professors.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to nursing instructors.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Faculties | 22,308 | 16.5% |
| Adjunct Instructors | 14,177 | 10.5% |
| Instructors | 11,302 | 8.4% |
| Assistant/Associate Professors | 7,337 | 5.4% |
| Assistant Professors | 11,850 | 8.8% |
| Non-Tenure Track Faculties | 6,983 | 5.2% |
| Nursing Faculties | 6,869 | 5.1% |
| University Professors | 3,365 | 2.5% |
| After School Instructors | 6,268 | 4.6% |
| Nursing Instructors | 6,014 | 4.5% |
| Assistant/Associate/Full Professors | 4,627 | 3.4% |
| College Instructors | 3,330 | 2.5% |
| Adjunct College Instructors | 2,826 | 2.1% |
| Math Tutors | 4,437 | 3.3% |
| Associate Professors | 4,173 | 3.1% |
| Tenure-Track Assistant/Associate Professors | 2,982 | 2.2% |
| Biology Adjunct Faculties | 3,259 | 2.4% |
| Culinary Aides | 4,657 | 3.5% |
| Assistant Professors of Psychology | 3,034 | 2.3% |
| Faculties | 5,039 | 3.7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for nursing instructors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for nursing instructors.
How much do nursing instructors make?
Nursing Instructors: How do you become one?
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