A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination and instil a love of learning. ‚ Brad Henry

We are extremely proud to be awarded a contract to supply Clinical Facilitators to Western Sydney University for the next 3 years. In congruence with this great news and our existing preferred provider relationships with a number of Universities, TAFE and Nursing schools in NSW; we warmly invite you to read our article ‘5 signs you’re ready to teach Australia’sNurses’.

Hi, I’m Kelly, HCA’s Nursing Service Manager based in NSW and QLD. I have been a Registered Nurse for 21 years, and still am clinically practicing today! My time nursing has absolutely flown by, but I have continued to explore my industry, specialising in Intensive Care, but also working across Surgical Wards, Mental Health and the Disability Care Sector, and now I manage the Clinical Facilitation Nurses and their placements for HCA.

I hold my Certificate IV in Training & Assessment and have found it really valuable for my discussions with facilitators when they face some difficult student situations during placements.

You may be wondering, what does it mean to be a Nurse Teacher? A teaching Nurse, more formally known as a Clinical Facilitator, is routinely an experienced Registered Nurse who is required to provide pre-registered nursing students (undergraduate RNs & EENs, along with student AINs) clinical education and assessment in a healthcare setting. Their role is to facilitate the transfer of theory to practice, along with monitoring and supporting students in their learning during clinical placements. They are also expected to communicate with clinical staff and educators about their students’ progress.

I generally feel there are a number of ‘tell-tale’ signs that show a Nurse is destined to become an educator. So, to all my fellow Nurses out there, here are ‘5 signs you’re ready to teach Australia’sNurses’.

Number 1: You’re fulfilled by helping others

In a recent survey, we found that over 42% of HCA Nurses loved that they were able to be a mentor in their role. When I saw these results, it didn’t surprise me one bit, as one of the fundamentals of nursing is having a social awareness of others’ needs.

I believe you are definitely on the path to being a teaching Nurse if you consider each day a success when you get to enrich the lives of other professionals.

Number 2: You Seek both intrinsic and financial rewards

If you’re seeking a new opportunity that internally rewards you for your time investment, you may be ready to launch yourself into clinical facilitation. Not only will you be financially rewarded for doing this work but also reap big personal satisfaction benefits.

One of our Nurse Facilitators, Terrie McEvoy, recently spoke with me about the rewarding experience of teaching. She said, One of the highlights that I have had in the past few months facilitating with HCA has been watching my students grow and develop during clinical practice and recognise the hard work I put in to help them achieve their learning outcomes.

Similarly, another HCA Clinical Facilitators, Rhonda Smith, says she teaches to see the joy on my students face when they have accomplished a new learnt skill or they have finally REALLY understood something.

If you’re looking to get something more out of your career, with good remuneration, this could be a sign you’re ready to be a Clinical Facilitator.

Did you know: Clinical Facilitation is usually booked in 1 ‚ 6 week blocks. This will normally reward you with a weekly pay packet of around $2000.

Number 3: You have the knowledge to share

Routinely, Clinical facilitators are RNs with at least 5 years Post Graduate experience. Generally, you will be placed with a studentgroupthat matches with your own clinical skills and knowledge. For example, a Mental Health or Paediatrics Student Nurse placements will be allocated to appropriately skilled facilitators.

Not only does your experience help you on your way to becoming a facilitator, your attitude to helping others plays a big part. These are ideal roles for Nurses who love to share their clinical knowledge with people and enjoy assisting them to be the best healthcare professionals for the future.

You still get to be on the wards, assisting in daily patient care with your students; and you can assist those students in developing their critical thinking skills.

Number 4: You are ready to develop a newskill set

I have had some incredible experiences with my students and have been exposed to areas that I have learnt so much about. I have also advanced my own clinical skills and professional development as a result says Terrie McEvoy.

If you are looking for a chance to expand your knowledge and grow your own skillset, then you may be ready to teach other Nurses. I believe it is important for Nurses to strive for growth in their careers. This is really important to ward off any feelings of staleness and burnout.

Number 5: You want to see our healthcare system thrive for all Australians

In a recent article, How the Shortage of Healthcare Professionals in Australia Will Impact You, we outlined how the Australian Government predicts we will experience a shortage of 109,000 Nurses by 2025.

If you are a Nurse that is driven by your passion for building the healthcare industry, you may be interested in a facilitator role.

So if you are still reading through, I guess you’ve decided that being a Clinical Facilitator could be right up your alley? Then ‘how do I become a Clinical Facilitator’, you ask?

The next step to becoming a Clinical Facilitator is really learning the clinical assessment skills, and how to deliver this to your students. Some people may have been lucky to have learnt this on the job and have a mentor of their own. For many others, it is learnt through courses such as the TAE- Certificate IV in Training & Assessment.

HCA offers courses in partnership with RAMS training services. If you are interested in attending one of these, see our current training courses and details for all states.

What’s the next step for those destined to teach?

HCA supplies casual Clinical Facilitators in many states.

The general requirements are:

Registered Nurse with AHPRA

Previous experience in facilitating Undergraduate Nursing students in the clinical setting

Minimum 4-5 years post graduate experience

A minimum Bachelor Nursing Degree or equivalent

Certificate IV Workplace Training and Assessment will be an advantage

Recent clinical experience

Ability to educate, evaluate and support Student Nurses in a clinical environment within their scope of practice

For information on current Clinical Facilitator opportunities you can search our latest jobs or register your interest by clicking the button below.