Clinical Education & Vaccine Specialist

HealthNet•Indianapolis, IN

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Education & Vaccine Specialist oversees HealthNet’s immunization program and maintains immunization policies, procedures, and safety practices. The role provides technical support and training, coordinates immunization-related information systems issues, and is accountable for the quality, quantity, consistency, and cost effectiveness of the vaccines used across the organization. The specialist is HealthNet’s primary liaison with the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) Immunization Division and serves as the subject matter expert on the Children and Hoosier Immunization Registry Program (CHIRP). The position develops and implements clinical education programming in collaboration with nurses and leadership. It assesses clinical staff learning needs, designs and delivers evidence-based instruction, supports orientation and required education, coaches staff, evaluates clinical and critical-thinking skills, and provides feedback to clinical leadership. It also collaborates with nursing schools, outside agencies, and organizational departments to support education and staff development. Administrative and oversight duties include developing immunization policies, workflows, and EHR changes; managing vaccine storage, handling, transport, and related protocols; establishing and supporting site vaccine coordinator responsibilities; and ensuring clinics meet CDC, IDOH, Vaccines for Children (VFC), and adult vaccine program requirements. The specialist prepares clinics for VFC compliance visits, maintains required documentation, addresses registry-interface issues, and leads or supports projects related to immunization operations and quality. The position is based at Martindale Brightwood Health Center, 2855 N Keystone Ave., Suite 140, Indianapolis, IN 46218, and requires frequent local travel. Emergency situations may require on-call and after-hours responsibilities, and the role may involve varied or prolonged work hours.

Requirements

Current RN licensure in the State of Indiana.
Nursing ASN required; BSN degree preferred.
1–3 years of clinical education experience.
Basic Life Support certification through the AHA.
Knowledge of state-required immunizations and ACIP recommendations.
Knowledge of and accountability for IDOH guidelines and VFC standards.
Effective collaboration, problem-solving, and negotiation skills.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to organize work and use effective time management.
Current driver’s license, auto liability insurance, and reliable transportation.
Frequent local travel is required.
Ability to read, write, hear, and communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.
Ability to work during varied and/or prolonged work hours.
Ability to sit for prolonged periods at a desk and work on a computer; stand, walk, sit, bend, squat, and stoop for varying or prolonged periods; repeatedly bend, stoop, and squat; and lift, push, and/or pull light to moderately heavy weights up to 20–30 pounds.

Nice To Haves

BSN degree.

Responsibilities

Maintain immunization policies, procedures, and safety procedures for HealthNet.
Oversee the daily operations of HealthNet’s immunization program and take responsibility for vaccine quality, quantity, consistency, and cost effectiveness.
Serve as HealthNet’s primary liaison with the IDOH Immunization Division and subject matter expert on CHIRP.
Develop, implement, and evaluate educational programming for clinical staff, including preparation and presentation of clinical education classes.
Assess staff learning needs, design educational programs, use appropriate teaching methods, and evaluate learning outcomes.
Support orientation, annual required education, ongoing professional development, compliance education, and evidence-based practice.
Coach and evaluate staff clinical and critical-thinking skills and provide timely performance feedback to clinical leadership.
Collaborate with schools of nursing, outside agencies, and organizational departments on educational activities.
Develop and oversee implementation of immunization policies, procedures, and workflows, and implement necessary EHR changes while addressing system issues.
Oversee vaccine storage, handling, shipment receipt, transport, refrigerator and freezer protocols, and contingency plans, including emergency and nonemergency situations.
Transport and report and return vaccines within 30 days of expiration or spoilage.
Establish site vaccine coordinator roles and responsibilities; monitor performance and provide feedback to coordinators’ direct supervisors.
Ensure clinics use current vaccine information statements and maintain storage and handling documentation in accordance with CDC standards and manufacturer guidelines.
Monitor and evaluate vaccine refrigerators and freezers, and ensure expired vaccines are removed from all clinics.
Ensure clinics comply with IDOH policies for the VFC and adult vaccine (317) programs.
Submit required IDOH documentation, including VFC provider agreements, data logger reports, and CHIRP access and removal requests.
Prepare centers for VFC compliance visits through mock visits, represent HealthNet during visits, and work with clinic managers and senior leadership to address findings.
Maintain documentation for clinics and vaccine programs and monitor issues with the EHR-to-state-registry immunization interface.
Train site coordinators on vaccine EHR setup and provide ongoing technical support and guidance.
Communicate immunization updates and educational opportunities to staff.
Train staff annually and upon hiring on vaccine storage and handling, and ensure site coordinators complete required CDC, IDOH, and local training.
Use at least one health literacy method when communicating with patients or clients.
May lead projects involving coordination of integrated efforts, such as implementing a bi-directional immunization interface, improving immunization rates, reducing vaccine wastage costs, or decreasing documentation errors.
Perform other tasks requested by the Clinical Education Manager.

Benefits

Competitive compensation
Medical, dental, and vision plans
Short-term and long-term disability
Health Savings Account and Difference Card available within certain medical plans
Flexible Spending Account
Life insurance
AD&D
Group accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity coverage
Domestic partner leave
Wellness programs
401(k) match
Paid time off that accumulates at the start of employment and is available for use
Tuition reimbursement
Employee referral program