Clinical experiences are an integral component of nursing education. Because the amount of time that a student spends in clinical experiences can be as many as twelve to sixteen hours per week, the clinical instructor plays a significant role in the nursing student's development of nursing knowledge. Many nurse educators attempt to balance dual roles of clinician and teacher even though there is no literature that describes the influence of engagement in clinical practice on clinical teaching. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how clinical nursing instructors perceive the influence of their engagement in bedside nursing practice on the clinical teaching of undergraduate nursing students. An exploratory design was used for the study, in which qualitative data was collected through open-ended questions used in interviews. Eleven nursing faculty who maintain engagement in clinical practice and have clinical teaching responsibilities were interviewed. Findings indicated that engagement in clinical practice had a positive influence on clinical teaching in regards to the identified areas of: instructor credibility, instructor competence, student relationships, and staff relationships. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]