Clinical Nurse Educator - Staff Development

Navajo Preference Employment Act

In accordance with Navajo Nation and federal law, TCRHCC has implemented an Affirmative Action Plan pursuant to the Navajo Preference in Employment Act.  Pursuant to this Plan and corresponding TCRHCC Policy, applicants who meet the necessary qualifications for this position and (1) are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, or San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe will be given preference in hiring and employment for this position, (2) are legally married to enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, or San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe and meet residency requirements will be given secondary preference, and (3) are enrolled members of other federally-recognized American Indian Tribes will be given tertiary preference.
Overview

POSITION SUMMARY

The clinical nurse educator is a registered nurse who has demonstrated competent clinical experience in the acute care setting. This position operates independently with limited oversite of the Staff Development Director. The applicant’s practice will align with the roles of the association for Nursing Professional Development’s (NPD) scope and standards of practice: Learning facilitator, change agent, mentor, leader, champion for scientific inquiry, partner for practice transitions, and advocate for NPD specialty.

The clinical nurse educator will utilize the nursing process to assess practice gaps, identify learning needs, facilitate positive learning environments, and evaluate outcomes to ensure high quality clinical practice for optimal patient care outcomes. Areas of responsibility will include staff onboarding & orientation, competency management, department specific educational training, AHA life safety compliance management, implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) & research, staff role development offerings, mentorship, support of health programs student placements, and other educational support duties and requests. The clinical nurse educator will work in partnership and be a member of various committees such as unit practice councils, risk management, quality improvement, ethics, and infection prevention.

Qualifications

NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

Bachelors Degree in Nursing from an accredited school of nursing

Certification:

• A valid, current, full and unrestricted Professional Nursing License to practice nursing in any state of the United States of America, The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States and maintained throughout current employment.
• Must maintain current valid certification of the following throughout employment:
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) from the American Heart Association
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) from the American Heart Association
• ANCC Nursing Professional Development (NPD) specialty certification, if none must complete certification review course within six (6) months and attain the ANCC NPD certification within one (1) year of hire.

Experience:

• Three (3) years of acute care nursing practice such as ICU, PCU, ER, or PACU/post-op recovery
• At least one (1) year of experience in clinical education and staff professional development within the past two (2) years
• One (1) year of verifiable experience providing staff orientation, involvement in educational program presentations or on the job training of educating clinical staff.

Other Skills and Abilities:

A record of satisfactory performance in all prior and current employment as evidenced by positive employment references from previous and current employers.  All employment references must address and indicate success in each one of the following areas:

• Provides mastery of critical thinking skills and ability to prioritize demands for clinical education & training. Coordinates and collaborates with departments to implement educational programs that promotes a climate which supports positive learning environments and open communication
• Instructs/teaches content and/or assignments for staff development with focus on safe clinical practice and document outcomes of educational initiatives and programs
• Implements clinical orientation of new personnel and evaluates competencies and areas which may require educational support
• Promotes and role-models the mission, values, visions and strategic goals of TCRHCC in all interactions with customers and patients. Treats people with dignity, professionalism and kindness.
• Demonstrates excellent internal and external customer service skills such as friendly greeting, making eye contact, listening attentively, responding in a timely manner, showing respect and empathy and acting as a role model for staff and peers.
• Completion of and, above-satisfactory scores on all job interviews, demonstrating to the satisfaction of the interviewees and TCRHCC that the applicant can perform the essential functions of the job
• Successful completion of and positive results from all background and reference checks, including positive employment references from authorized representatives of past and current employers demonstrating to the satisfaction of TCRHCC a record of satisfactory performance and that the applicant can perform the essential functions of the job
• Successful completion of fingerprint clearance requirements, physical examinations, and other screenings indicating that the applicant is qualified to be employed by TCRHCC and demonstrating to the satisfaction of TCRHCC that the applicant can perform the essential functions of the job
• Submission of all required employment-related documents, applications, resumes, references, and other required information free of false, misleading or incomplete information, as determined by TCRHCC These are not skills and abilities of the role, they are requirements for hiring and should be moved from ‘skills and abilities’ section

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EFFORT

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an   employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical:

Work requires prolonged periods of standing; walking; talking or hearing; sitting watching, observing, concentrating on computer monitors and equipment; use of hands to finger, handle, feel; bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching; reaching with hands and arms; and, taste or smell.  Agility and the ability to lift, pull and bend are required to move patients to and from beds, wheelchairs, stretchers, et cetera, and in moving equipment and medical supplies. Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. frequently through entire shift. Most be able to move, pull/push, lift, maneuver more than 100 lbs. when caring for patients and must be able to use proper body mechanics and lifting equipment when available. Must be able to discern when working with over a hundred pounds when, how, and who to ask for assistance to protect and prevent self-injury. Must have the ability to hear and recognize alarms on equipment; client calls; instructions from physicians/department staff; and, hear overhead pages through loudspeaker. This position requires vision required to see close; distant; colored; peripheral; and depth perception. Must be able to adjust visual focus as needed. to ask for assistance. This position requires the ability to perform repetitive motion actions in both feet; and, hands including prolonged grasping of simple/light action; intermittent grasping of firm/heavy action; and prolonged ability of fine dexterity.

Mental:

Contacts often require tact and sensitivity as those related to stressful situation such as death, dying, and catastrophic illnesses.  Must be able to prioritize and use good judgment.  Must be able to coordinate a variety of issues while being frequently interrupted. Must be able to work with the attitude of team building with other staff; collaborate with multiple departments and job positions. Must be willing to assist when able and as needed with other team players.

Environmental:

Required to work prolong periods of time in an environment of toxic or caustic chemicals. May work and be exposed frequently to Infection Diseases. Will be working occasionally around other environmental conditions including: Chemical Agents; Dust, Fumes, Gases; Extremes in Temperature or Humidity; Hazardous or Moving Equipment; Unprotected Heights; loud noises; risk of radiation; vibration; and, risk of electric shock. Typical environmental noise level is moderate. As with any area of a Health care setting, must be able to work around and with infectious diseases.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Must have the ability to work independently. Ensure a high level of quality and safety in the clinical and educational setting at all times.
2. Assists in developing educational objectives to meet educational needs and regulatory requirements as defined by the units, departments, division and hospital.
3. Schedules and coordinates education sessions to meet staff needs.
4. Prepares reports and maintains records, educational records for orientation, mandatory programs, in-service and continuing education programs, etc.
5. Serves as a resource/educational consultant to assign personnel and unit staff.
6. Identifies, plans and implements cross-training strategies for orientation, training and education.
7. Develops, maintains a written progressive orientation plan that incorporates health care standards, Joint Commission guidelines and corporate requirements for clinical staff. Collaborates with the Unit Directors.
8. Meets with orienteers at regular intervals to evaluate the units’ orientation programs.
9. Develops, implements, maintains a preceptor training program to provide supervision, support and teaching orienteers.
10. Reviews and interprets unit policies and procedures with orienteers and other staff, if needed.
11. Assists in gathering, reviewing, creating action plans and monitoring patient and clinical practice, quality and safety measures data in collaboration with the Unit Directors.
12. Must excel at communication, identify and offer solutions for educational needs, well organized, focused and show empathy. Must exhibit traits that area in accordance with the organization’s Code of Conduct and Standards of Behavior, with special focus in the skill of caring; showing compassion and understanding for the nurses and patients who are at the receiving end of the care and instructions.
13. Collaborates, networks and researches subject matter to refine and enhance clinical practice to meet current accreditation standards and evidence-based practice standards.
14. Ensure proper PPE is always worn while on duty including but not limited to, face mask, gloves, gown, isolation gown, NIOSH-approved N95 filtering face piece respirator or higher, if available), and eye or face shield. 
15. Complete all donning and doffing tasks in a safe acceptable method and discard of used PPE accordingly. (see CDC website for most current updates)
16. Complete task training for all routine cleaning and decontamination processes for all surfaces contaminated by a communicable disease to ensure a high level of patient, visitor, employee, and external customer satisfaction. 
17. All other tasks/duties as assigned.