Critical Care Educator - Clinical FT Variable 7:30am-4pm

AHMC Healthcare•Monterey Park, CA

About The Position

The Critical Care Educator is accountable to the Education Department Director and plans, provides, and facilitates professional growth and development for hospital staff through didactic instruction, role modeling, and clinical education. The educator supports safe patient care using the nursing process and established clinical nursing practice standards, and serves as a resource nurse, role model, and leader in health care administration. The position supports the organization’s vision and mission and incorporates patients’ ages and cultural diversity into education for staff and patients. It also contributes to quality care through performance-improvement processes that support positive patient outcomes. The educator collaborates with department managers and staff to assess learning needs, designs and delivers education programs, develops patient teaching and discharge plans, and prepares educational materials and lesson plans. The role includes staff and patient education, competency assessment, regulatory and accreditation compliance, orientation and training, evaluation of learning effectiveness, and coordination of educational and competency-validation programs for the assigned department. The educator also supports quality improvement and evidence-based practice, communicates new procedures and technologies, and makes recommendations to nursing leaders and committees.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
Currently licensed to practice nursing in California.
At least four years of acute care experience.
BLS for Health Care Provider certification from the American Heart Association.
NIHSS Stroke certification.

Nice To Haves

Teaching experience preferred.
BSN or Master’s Degree preferred.
Instructor certifications in BLS, ACLS, PALS, and/or NRP preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with managers and staff to assess staff learning needs and design education programs and delivery systems suited to departmental, staff, patient, and management needs.
Assess patient and family learning needs, knowledge, understanding, and readiness to learn; account for physical limitations, psychosocial needs, symptoms, behavioral changes, age-specific differences, cultural diversity, resources, and spiritual needs as appropriate.
Plan education activities based on departmental and individual needs assessments and contribute to the Education Department’s annual goals and objectives.
Plan, prepare, and present just-in-time in-service training related to department needs, patient safety goals, core measures, and survey preparedness.
Develop patient teaching and discharge plans using assessment data, involving patients and families whenever possible and appropriate, and include staff in patient education planning and training.
Prepare lesson plans and learning objectives for continuing education programs and develop individual patient-teaching materials as appropriate.
Prioritize and organize work to complete assigned tasks and meet department, staff, and patient needs.
Provide mandatory classes, audits, training, and learning required by accrediting and regulatory agencies, and facilitate compliance.
Maintain teaching materials, education tools, and files; communicate revised procedures to patient-care staff and new employees; and provide education on new products and equipment as appropriate or requested.
Use new information and research findings to develop and update program content and activities; serve as a resource for staff and follow up on questions requiring research or discussion.
Attend and contribute to assigned meetings, staff development programs, and conferences; demonstrate knowledge of hospital emergency procedures and assist with drills as possible.
Evaluate personnel and learning processes, make recommendations to nursing directors, departments, and committees, and initiate change as appropriate.
Evaluate the effectiveness of staff and patient teaching and learning to support continuity of care and patient safety; document patient learning in the medical record.
Assist with staff competency assessment and documentation as appropriate and requested; maintain personal competency in teaching and assessing staff in accordance with departmental needs and technology updates.
Collaborate with patient-care, professional, and support-service departments to identify performance gaps, determine causes, and measure the impact of learning and non-learning interventions.
Update educational programs for content and technology and promote quality improvement and evidence-based practice, including patient safety goals and core measures.
Lead planning, design, coordination, delivery, and evaluation of education and competency-validation programs for the assigned department, including orientation, employee development, policy and procedure changes, new technology, and regulatory or accreditation requirements.
Determine and document nursing personnel’s initial competency upon hire; assess and evaluate ongoing competency and implement and document strategies to maintain it.
Provide recommendations and participate in hiring new employees and in developing and evaluating disciplinary performance plans for staff.
Perform other duties as assigned.