Elaine Paradis had just about done it all in 42 years of nursing: staff, charge and office nurse; supervisor; director; trauma case manager; flight nurse; instructor. When the nurse educator job became available, she thought, "Well, I haven't tried that before."

She had, however, often been in the role of teaching or precepting throughout her career. She loved what she called the "showbiz" part of teaching. So, she tried it and was hooked.

Now, she teaches nurses, physicians, pharmacists, monitor technicians, paramedics, EMTs and even the nonmedical public. Her classes take place throughout the hospital, in the community, at churches, shopping malls and in remote communities.

Colleagues call her "The CPR Queen" and the "Alphabet Soup Nurse" for the acronyms of all the courses she teaches.

Paradis tries to instill in her nursing students an enthusiasm not only for learning, but for the profession as well. Her satisfaction comes from seeing people progress and go further in their careers, whether they are novice or experienced nurses.

"You have to respect adult learners for their motivation, for how important it is to them to learn. I like to make whatever I'm teaching pertinent and exciting."

She regularly works in different areas of the hospital, both to keep her clinical skills up-to-date and for the relevant and practical experience she can apply in her classes. Paradis also keeps herself informed on research and legislation.

It is also satisfying, she said, to see people with little or no background in the medical field come to train, for example, as monitor techs on ECGs, and then get jobs in the field.

"I'm bringing in the workers the hospital needs, and those workers are so excited to be working in the field." Her son took one of those classes 23 years ago and is an emergency physician today.

Paradis teaches CPR and a variety of community education classes. She has worked as a volunteer for the American Heart Association for more than 20 years. Sometimes, teaching these public classes is easier, she said, because those students want to learn and are motivated to be there for a purpose.

In classes for colleagues, it can be a struggle to make a subject exciting and worthwhile for professionals who are working hard and are tired and have to come to class anyway. But Paradis relishes the challenge.

"You're never too old to learn, and through education you grow. Change is helpful and healthy. You don't know where you'll be a few years down the road. Nothing I ever learned was wasted."

She considers herself a risk-taker. "My philosophy is, go ahead and take a risk and see how it goes. There is always somewhere else to go; you aren't stuck where you are. You can do anything you put your mind to. I got on a helicopter for the first time at age 50."