Are you a registered nurse in Wisconsin who has thought about becoming a nurse educator some day?
If teaching the next generation of nurses is something you’d love to do – here’s some good news: Thanks to a new emergency rule signed this month by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, qualified nurses in the state can now teach college-level nursing courses.
The rule change follows a recommendation by the Governor’s Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce, established by Gov. Evers in 2024, to expand the pool of qualified individuals able to teach healthcare students. The move addresses the state’s longstanding healthcare workforce shortages.
To become a nurse educator in Wisconsin, you must:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing;
- Be a current, active, and unencumbered RN with license or privilege to practice in Wisconsin;
- Have at least two years of clinical experience relevant to the specific clinical area that you would be teaching; and
- Practice under the supervision of an RN who meets traditional qualifications.
Nurse educators not only have the ability to share the knowledge they’ve gained with nursing students – they also make stable salaries. According to ZipRecruiter, nurse educators in Wisconsin can expect to earn an average of $103,000 annually.
If you’re a registered nurse who would love to teach someday but hasn’t yet received a bachelor’s degree, the UW-Milwaukee RN-to-BSN program, offered through UW Flexible Option, can help you earn your four-year nursing degree when it’s convenient for you. Our competency-based format allows working nurses the ability to complete coursework on their schedule with no clinical requirement–instead, you’ll do a capstone project that can improve patient care in your workplace. In addition, you’ll receive personalized support from enrollment advisers and success coaches to build an Academic Plan of Study that provides a roadmap to degree completion.
Other benefits include the ability to:
- Start any month instead of waiting for months for a new semester to begin. New subscription periods begin every month.
- Complete coursework when it fits your schedule – there are no live lecture times or required log-in times.
- Transfer in up to 72 credits. UW Flexible Option will work with you to apply as many transfer credits as possible.
- Take one course or “all you can learn” each 12-week subscription period with our flat rate tuition model that respects your time and money.
The UW Flexible Option RN-to-BSN program is also a great stepping stone to a master’s program. You’ll learn both durable and clinical skills to help you think like a graduate-level nurse.
To find out more about UW Flexible Option, contact an enrollment adviser at 1-608-800-6762 or flex@uwex.wisconsin.edu. For a list of degree and certificate programs offered in the online Flexible Option format, please see the programs page.