Name: Pam Cangelosi
Current place of employment: George Mason University

Current role (clinical, administrative, dean, adjunct, etc.): Coordinator, Nurse Educator Track, Master's of Science in Nursing Program
Highest level of education: Ph.D.

Number of years you have been an RN: 26
Number of years as a Nurse Educator: 15

Why did you choose to teach nursing (variety of work, flexible work schedule, encourage and educate eager minds, etc.)?
Always enjoyed teaching patients and families and orienting new nurses on the hospital unit. Started as a clinical instructor and realized I especially liked teaching others who wanted to be a nurse. Nursing students are a very motivated and hard working group!

Over the year/s how has your initial opinion of teaching changed? What is responsible for those changes?
My opinion of teaching has really not changed. I still find it the best of both worlds-teaching and nursing. You can have patient contact and student contact all in one job. I especially like being up-to-date with the latest research in nursing.

Personally speaking, what is the best part of teaching nursing (advising students, classroom teaching, clinical instructing, etc.)?
That would be a tie between advising and classroom teaching. As a Nurse Educator, you are very privileged to get to know your students well in the classroom, clinical, and as an advisor.

In your opinion, what is the most difficult part of being a Nurse Educator?
Having a student fail academically.

Would you encourage fellow RNs to consider becoming Nurse Educators? Why or Why not?
Yes! It is very satisfying to know you are helping others fulfill their goals. The growth you observe in your students is especially rewarding and to see them function as competent RNs after graduation is the best. I feel I am really making a worthwhile contribution to society in this role.

In your opinion, what are some factors that retain you as a Nurse Educator?
In addition to the answer given above, you experience great autonomy in the faculty role.

What is your opinion of using the Internet as a teaching tool? (For example, one instructor teaching hundreds of students non clinical classes (A&P, Psychology etc.) in a virtual classroom?)
Some classes lend themselves to online instruction and it can be very helpful scheduling wise for students and faculty. Selected classes work fine, but I do not endorse all online degrees. Students benefit from the role modeling of faculty, and nursing is a very hands-on field. This aspect is difficult to communicate online.

What is the main reason you see nursing students dropping out of programs?
Some have a different idea of what nursing entails and when they get into the actual coursework and clinicals they realize their expectations do not agree with reality. Many also underestimate the amount of work academically and clinically that is required to become an RN.