Charlene Tulloch has been an ICU nurse for just over a decade and was looking for the next step in her career. She had asked herself, “what happens next after you reach that level of experience as a bedside nurse?”
After speaking with a nurse educator who recommended she consider education, Tulloch felt confident that was the right time for her to make a change. She completed the Centre for Professional Development’s Nurse Educator Certificate this year and is now about to transition into a new role as a Nurse Educator with a Niagara area hospital.
She shared with CPD how the courses in the certificate benefitted her and her career evolution.
What motivated you to consider taking the Nurse Educator Certificate from CPD?
I love bedside nursing, but I also love mentorship. Mentoring student nurses and new hires has a component of teaching to it. Each time I was in that position to provide mentorship or support to newer nurses, that interest blossomed for me, and I thought if I do this already, why not consider doing it on a bigger scale as a career path.
What were some of the highlights of the courses, was there anything new you learned or were surprised to learn?
I think I suffered from imposter syndrome in the beginning of the course, because it seemed like many of my classmates were already in nurse educator roles. However, it was inspiring to hear about other people’s experiences and the challenges in this field from right across the country – we had participants from Yellowknife to Halifax. Those Zoom meetings together were my favourite part of the course, because you could connect and hear what it is like out in the trenches, which was so valuable for me. The courses also challenged me to think in ways that gave me an edge.
Would you recommend this certificate to other nurses?
Yes definitely. I think one of the benefits is that the instructors are upfront about the amount of time it will take you to complete the course and when they say it takes you 8 hours a week, it did, but it was rewarding. What is most beneficial is that the courses are set up to be flexible for people who are working professionals. I was wildly impressed with the online component where all the course content was streamlined in one place, all you had to focus on was doing the work. There is lots of support available, so I would say take the plunge.