Operating Room Nurse Educator

Job Summary

This position is for clinical nurse education ofPreOp, PACU and the Operating Room staff.

Responsible for the assessment, planning, development, implementation and evaluation of learning and development programs that enhance associates’ performance, promote professional development or otherwise support the mission, vision and SPIRIT Values of MedStar Health and the Department of Nursing. These activities include onboarding/orientation, competency management, education, professional role development, career coaching, and collaborative partnerships.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education/Training: Master’s degree in Clinical Nursing, Nursing Education or related field.
• Experience: 3 years progressive clinical nursing experience; staff development or continuing education experience preferred.
• License/Certification/Registration: Valid RN license in the State of Maryland.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Demonstrated high level of clinical competence. Effective interpersonal skills, including verbal and written communication. Basic math skills. Basic computer skills preferred.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

1. Contributes to the achievement of established department goals and objectives and adheres to department policies, procedures, quality standards, and safety standards. Complies with governmental and accreditation regulations.
2. Applies teaching techniques that promote critical thinking, clinical reasoning and decision making, and evidence-based practice incorporating principles of adult learning theory.
3. Coaches nurses and other associates. Provides feedback to enhance professional nursing practice and professional advancement of nurses and other associates.
4. Collaborates with other departments, experts, and leaders, both internal and external to MedStar Health, to obtain information needed to purse development of relevant learning programs. Serves as a liaison with academic partners and clinical student placements.
5. Conducts educational activities that inform, teach, and facilitate adoption of new procedures, technologies, equipment, and patient care trends with continuing education credits where appropriate.
6. Coordinates and plans educational offerings for nursing associates with consideration of but not limited to mandatory regulatory requirements, quality and safety, performance improvement, and clinical advancement.
7. Demonstrates clinical expertise, leadership, communication skills, and knowledge of education theory and principles necessary to develop learning programs and achieve optimal educational outcomes.
8. Designs, implements, and evaluates designated learning and educational programs and related consultative services. Assesses learning needs through formal and informal approaches to data collection to determine specific education needs of associates.
9. Develops evaluation plans and applies evidence-based evaluation systems to determine the effectiveness of educational activities and learning programs. Involves learners in the evaluation process.
10. Identifies and assesses learning needs and knowledge or skill gaps that require remediation and collaborates with unit leaders to promote critical thinking and competent patient care delivery.
11. Maintains knowledge of professional development standards, available evidence, and current trends and innovations in nursing practice, clinical instruction, nursing education, staff development, and use of simulation and learning technologies. Pursues ongoing learning and educational opportunities to enhance own practice, knowledge, skills, and competencies.
12. Meets identified learning needs of nurses and other associates, fosters lifelong learning, and supports career advancement in a wide-range of nursing specialties.
13. Plans and conducts orientation of new personnel to facilitate a new associate’s transition to the practice environment and meeting competency assessment requirements in conformance with departmental objectives, regulatory requirements, and accreditation standards.
14. Plans and regularly conducts competency validation programs for nursing department associates. Applies principles of adult learning to assess staff learning and competency needs. Offers competency-building activities to enhance associates’ educational and experiential learning.
15. Supports and participates in the transition to practice of newly licensed nurses using the MedStar Health New to Practice Nurse Residency Program.
16. Participates in multidisciplinary quality and service improvement teams as appropriate. Participates in meetings, serves on committees and represents the department and hospital/facility in community outreach efforts as appropriate.

Performs other duties as assigned.