The Nurse Educator functions in a variety of clinic settings to ensure the competency of and meet the educational needs of clinical staff. The Nurse Educator assesses initial and ongoing learning needs, plans, and implements programs to meet the identified needs and assists in the evaluation of teaching outcomes on the learner, the organization, and patient care. This role collaborates with nursing and patient care teams to provide education for spinal cord, brain injury, Multiple Sclerosis, and other neurological impairments, as applicable to assigned unit. The Rehab Nurse Educator is a role model, patient advocate, and nursing staff advocate within a program and helps drive the growth of the nurses in an effort to improve patient care quality.

The Nurse Educator provides learning activity for clinical staff, ensuring training needs are met.  The scope of practice includes Accountabilities for clinical orientation, staff development, student affiliations and patient/family education, as applicable to assigned unit.
Accountabilities:

• Ensure coordinated care for all patients in assigned unit.

• Assess educational needs, develop education/competency programs, to include orientation plans, that meet the needs of learner and develops knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care.

• Recognize high risk concepts/skills and provide guidance and resources to ensure safe, effective nursing care.

• Communicate and coordinate clinical education needs to leadership.

• Coordinate any center-wide needs in conjunction with the Nursing Education Committee.

• Facilitate the development of educational materials (staff/patients, as applicable to assigned unit).

• Coordinate and implement classroom and clinical nursing orientation for assigned program.

• Coordinates student placement, orients students, and organizes preceptorships for nursing students, as applicable to assigned unit.

• Organize and/or facilitate program specific patient/family education activities, if required by assigned unit.

• Manages documentation and audits, provides action plans for areas needing improvement.

• Communicate within the Center and the community at large in a manner that promotes excellent customer service and the professional sharing of information.

• Participate in educational conferences and presentation for the discipline and the educational program.

• Serve on and contribute to committees, task forces, or focus groups.

• Maintain certification(s) and professional growth.

REQUIRED MINIMUM EDUCATION

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing; RN with bachelor’s degree in Nursing or Health related field preferred.

REQUIRED MINIMUM CERTIFICATION

• American Heart Association BLS required.

• Certified Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN), MS Certified Specialist, MS Certified Nurse, Pain Management Specialty - American Nurses Credentialing Center, Certified Urologic Registered Nurse (CURN), or Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN) required after three years from date of hire.

• Current Georgia RN license.

REQUIRED MINIMUM EXPERIENCE

• 3-5 years of clinical experience in either Med/Surg or Rehab. 

• Rehabilitation experience preferred.

REQUIRED MINIMUM SKILLS

• Basic office computer skills; advanced skills in PowerPoint or other presentation mediums.

• Knowledge of common office equipment such as fax and copier.

• Basic competencies are expected in nursing practice, patient and employee safety, infection control, performance improvement, practice innovation, professional nursing practice, standards of clinical nursing practice, and systems for patient safety.

• Demonstrates competency in time management, organization, prioritization, and critical thinking by planning and organizing work assignments and prioritizing the specific needs of the patient.

• Ability to assess patient and family needs and coordinate appropriate nursing plan of care.
  Takes responsibility for growing professionally and seek opportunities for improving skills.

• Communicates effectively using timely verbal, non-verbal and written communication.

• Willingly adapts to changing work demands and work environment.

• Demonstrates critical thinking skills and makes sound judgments to monitor and respond to patient needs or changes in condition.

• Maintains congenial working relationships with RNs and others.

• Completes orientation and initial assessment of competency successfully by determined due date.

• Completes mandatory education and annual competency assessment requirements by determined due date.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous experience with patients with Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, and/or behavioral health preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Uses body, tools, or special devices to safely, effectively, and efficiently to move, guide, or place patients.

• Involves some latitude for judgement with regards to precision attained and the selection of what adaptive device(s) to utilize.

• Ability to transfer and position patients, consistent with lifting to 50 lbs.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Normal patient care environment.

• Some potential for exposure to blood and body fluids.

• Some potential exposure to infectious viruses.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification.  They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified.