Clinical Nurse Educator

Veterans Health Administration • Asheville, NC

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Clinical Nurse Educator provides expert, evidence-based education to staff. The role develops and delivers instruction and training for nursing staff, assesses learning needs, supports new-employee orientation, and evaluates staff progress and competencies. The educator works with other educators, interprofessional teams, leaders, and unit managers to identify training needs and promote staff competence, critical thinking, and decision-making. The position also supports designated nursing education and development programs, contributes to committees and councils, reviews nursing literature, and evaluates the outcomes of educational programs and organizational processes.

The position follows a Monday–Friday schedule, generally 0700–4:30, with variable 8- or 9-hour shifts. Telework is ad hoc; this is not a virtual position. Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorized. The position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, subject to the stated education and foreign-education provisions.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted professional nurse registration in a U.S. State, Territory, or Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a temporary Graduate Nurse Technician appointment may be available to eligible candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education and specialized nursing experience qualifications for the assigned Nurse grade and level. Requirements vary by grade and may include an ADN or nursing diploma, BSN, MSN, a related master's degree, or a doctoral degree, along with specified professional or specialized nursing experience.
• Meet the applicable scope, education, and dimension criteria for grade assignment; dimensions include practice, Veteran/patient-driven care, leadership, professional development, and evidence-based practice/research.
• U.S. citizenship, unless appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Pass required pre-employment screening, including drug testing for applicants selected for testing-designated positions, background/security investigation, and physical evaluation/examination.
• Complete required onboarding and application documentation; comply with applicable influenza vaccination and annual employee health requirements.
• For work in home settings or other off-site locations, driving and/or riding in GSA vehicles may be required.
• Physical capabilities include visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity; the position may involve extended periods of walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing, and transferring patients or objects.
• Be able to work effectively in stressful situations and shift priorities according to patient needs.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with a geriatric population.
• Experience with a hospice population.
• Experience as a nurse educator.

Responsibilities

• Provide educational instruction and training for nursing staff in clinical and non-clinical areas.
• Assess learning needs and develop educational training for clinical staff within the organization.
• Assist with new-employee orientation, evaluate progress through orientation, and develop and implement learning plans to address identified deficiencies.
• Support Scholarship, I LEAD, Nursing School Affiliations, TTP, VA-STEP, and PMDB programs.
• Systematically evaluate current practice and formulate outcomes for patient groups and/or organizational processes within the area of expertise.
• Collaborate with Clinical Nurse Educators and interprofessional healthcare teams on in-services, training, competency assessments, and evaluations of current and new nursing staff skills.
• Review nursing literature for emerging trends and evidence-based changes, and propose practice or documentation revisions based on evaluation of outcomes.
• Collaborate with leadership and unit managers to identify staff education needs and support competence, critical thinking, and decision-making.
• Participate in organizational committees and councils, providing consultation and collaboration.
• Analyze, interpret, and evaluate data to determine outcomes and changes related to educational programs.
• Document outcomes at the program or service level.

Benefits

• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Associate degree