Interested in a career with both meaning and growth? Whether your abilities are in direct patient care or one of the many other areas of healthcare administration and support, everyone at Parkland works together to fulfill our mission: the health and well-being of individuals and communities entrusted to our care. By joining Parkland, you become part of a diverse healthcare legacy that’s served our community for more than 125 years. Put your skills to work with us, seek opportunities to learn and join a talented team where patient care is more than a job. It’s our passion.
Primary Purpose
The Nurse Scientist is responsible for operationalizing, maintaining, and evaluating the nursing research and evidence-based practice (EBP) activities across Parkland Health. The Nurse Scientist position promotes and facilitates evidence-based interventions at the bedside. The Nurse Scientist is a change agent and a system-wide leader who is responsible for implementing an infrastructure that provides nurses support to shape the work environment by assuring their practice is evidence-based and nursing knowledge is generated through research. The Nurse Scientist will promote a culture of inquiry to bridge the gap between research and practice by engaging nurses in research and EBP with a focus on guiding the development of an infrastructure of resources including mentors and coaches. Activities may include working with shared governance councils, developing workflows and processes to meet program needs, staying abreast of current literature on key programmatic and practice areas, identifying and leading program improvements, and providing feedback and guidance for nursing leaders. The Nurse Scientist's work is integrally involved and aligned with the goals of achieving and maintaining Parkland Health's Pathway® & Magnet® designation as well as the organization's and nursing's strategic plans. The Nurse Scientist may be assigned to lead or support strategically aligned EBP or research projects as identified by nursing leadership.
Minimum Specifications
Education - Doctoral Degree required (preferable a Ph.D. in Nursing)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree or higher
Experience
- Five years clinical nursing experience
- Two years experience facilitating research activities.
- Two years of experience in leadership and/or leadership of a programmatical area.
Preferred: Experience in developing nursing Research and EBP programming at a Magnet® recognized healthcare organization
Equivalent Education and/or Experience Certification/Registration/Licensure
- Must have current RN license or valid temporary permit with the Texas Board of Nursing or valid Compact RN license - American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification
Required Tests for Placement Skills or Special Abilities
- Must act as an effective change agent
- Must have strong assessment, organizational and problem-solving skills
- Must have the capacity to prioritize multiple tasks and role components
- Must demonstrate expert time management skills
- Must have familiarity with conducting research/EBP with an ethnically and culturally diverse population.
Responsibilities
- Implements activities in accordance with the Parkland & Nursing strategic plan to advance the vision of nursing research and evidence-based practice for Parkland Health.
- Collaborates with key stakeholders to implement structures and processes to facilitate nursing research at Parkland Health
- Promotes, supports, and facilitates individuals engaging in research activities to advance research in practice: evidence-based practice, the conduct of research, research utilization, and research dissemination.
- Develops mentors by providing consultation, mentoring, education, and guidance for nurse-led EBP projects and research studies
- Collaborates and develops innovative programs to educate, mentor, and enhance the knowledge of nursing staff.
- Implements structures to advance and support dissemination of nursing research and evidence-based practice projects (e.g., manuscript publications, conference presentations)
- Evaluates program outcomes and role model professional nursing practice behaviors measured through improved patient outcomes, increased nurse and patient engagement, efficiency, decreased cost, and enhanced visibility of Parkland Health nursing research and evidence-based practice across Parkland Health
- Maintains professional networks within Parkland Health and externally as applicable to promote programmatic growth
- Serves on and/or leads relevant system-level Nursing and/or interprofessional workgroups and committees
- Leads strategically aligned system-level EBP projects and research studies as assigned. The level of leadership may vary depending on strategic directives or goals.
- Assures work is integrally involved and aligned with the goals of maintaining the organizations Magnet® journey, accreditations as well as the organization and nursings strategic plan.
- Advances the plan and strategies to guide Parkland Health to be a national leader in nursing research and EBP.
Parkland Health and Hospital System prohibits discrimination based on age (40 or over), race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, disability, national origin, marital status, political belief, or veteran status. As part of our commitment to our patients and employees’ wellness, Parkland Health is a tobacco and smoke-free campus.