Arrange a Nurse Educator Interview
By the end of week 2, you will identify and arrange to interview an experienced nurse educator about the trends in nursing education that she/he has observed or experienced during her/his career in education. You will also develop 10–12 interview questions.
Assignment Guidelines
- The person you select to interview must have a minimum of 5 years experience as a nurse educator currently practicing in academia, staff development, or a clinical nurse educator or patient educator. No family members please.
- You may arrange to conduct the interview in person, by phone, or by online web conferencing.
- In general, when you contact a prospective interviewee, state who you are and explain that the interview is for a university course assignment.
- Ask for a convenient time to meet for a 30-minute interview.
- Type 10–12 interview questions.
- Be prepared to record responses by:
- Leaving a space below each of your typed interview questions for jotting down responses
General Guidelines for Developing Interview Questions
- Your interview questions will depend on the method of interview (formal or informal, face to face, or online web meeting/conferencing) and the specific area the nurse educator is practicing.
- Word your questions clearly and concisely.
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Begin the interview with simple, factual questions that are easy to answer (icebreakers). This will help put the nurse educator at ease and help you establish a rapport. For example:
- You may ask about qualifications, credentials, expertise, experience, level of education, responsibilities, and/or a typical day.
- You may wish to ask questions that elicit feedback about how the person became interested in nursing education, how education was selected as a career path, and what steps were taken to become a nurse educator.
- Next, seek information about personal experiences and opinions, such as:
- Teaching philosophy and goals related to nursing education
- Experiences with curricula
- Experiences with evaluation
- Ways of knowing that student goals are met
- Ways of engaging and/or enriching student learning
- Outlook on the future of nursing education
- The most effective teaching strategies
- Positive experiences in teaching
- Challenges faced as a nurse educator