Inpatient Therapy Educator

Carle Health•Urbana, IL

1d•$39 - $67

About The Position

The Inpatient Therapy Educator is responsible for coordinating, developing, and delivering clinical education, competency management, and professional development for therapy staff across both acute care and inpatient rehabilitation (IPR) settings. This role serves as a clinical education leader and connector, ensuring evidence-based practice, regulatory compliance, patient safety, and consistent onboarding and ongoing education for Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Language Pathology staff. The educator collaborates with other departments, such as Clinical Education, Quality, Patient Safety, nursing, and other system-sites, to align best practices. The educator maintains scheduled clinical time in both acute care and IPR to remain connected to frontline practice, support staff, and identify educational needs in real time. The compensation range for this position will vary depending on the selected candidate’s licensure and may differ from the range reflected in this posting.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Therapy Or Bachelor's Degree in Physical Therapy Or Associate's Degree in Physical Therapy Assistant Or Associate's Degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant Or Bachelor's Degree in Speech Language Pathology
Licensed Occupational Therapist (OT) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) Or Licensed Physical Therapist (PT) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) Or Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) Or Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) Or Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
Basic Life Support (BLS) within 30 days - American Heart Association (AHA)
Attend and satisfactorily complete all required continuing education regarding the care of acute stroke patients.
2+ years Related field
1+ years Specialized Knowledge and Skills Requirements
Good working knowledge of all aspects of Acute Care and Inpatient Rehab Therapy (PT/OT/SLP).
Demonstrates strong instructional design and facilitation skills to effectively deliver engaging, evidence‑based education for PT/OT/SLP learners.
Skilled in coaching staff on effective education delivery and supporting individualized professional development.
Timely follow-up and accountability.
Highly organized with good attention to detail.
Must be extremely flexible with day-to-day workflows with ability to balance multiple tasks/projects while meeting organizational standards.
Highly motivated to collaborate with interdisciplinary team in the areas of patient safety and quality outcomes
Demonstrates strong leadership skills with the ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical and administrative staff.
Demonstrates solid time management skills, with ability to appropriately balance educator duties with patient care duties.
Forward thinker with ability to see big picture.

Responsibilities

Complete equivalent of 50% direct patient care hours per week, including a weekend patient care rotation.
Act as a liaison between therapy leadership, bedside staff, clinical education teams, and interdisciplinary partners.
Assist supervisor/manager with planning, coordination, and execution of department-wide education initiatives and accreditation preparation (DNV, CARF, etc.).
Participate in committees, work groups, and quality initiatives related to therapy practice, education, and patient outcomes.
Collaborate with leadership and quality to identify educational gaps and opportunities for staff growth and development.
Assists in evaluating current practices and assists leadership team in implementing evidence-based practice changes
Collaborate with various RN unit leaders, QOCs, supervisors, bedside staff, and other healthcare providers to address issues related to patient care and patient care outcomes
Provides real-time accountability, coaching, and education to promote ownership of safe practice.
Assists supervisor/manager in reviewing incoming reports of events and near misses to identify patterns, trends, potential system lessons, as well as determine whether immediate educational follow-up is required with reporting personnel or department.
Develop training materials and supports patient safety educational sessions as necessary
Develop, coordinate, and maintain department wide orientation and onboarding programs for new therapy staff across acute care and inpatient rehabilitation
Ensure completion, tracking, and documentation of annual and ongoing competencies for all therapy disciplines.
Provide support for therapy preceptors and clinical instructors in both acute care and IPR settings
Support education related to career ladder, professional advancement, and departmental development initiatives.
Coordinate with clinical education and program coordinators to ensure applicable education for DNV accreditation requirements.
Ensure all disciplines adhere to PT/OT/SLP Practice Act
Ensures and tracks ongoing competency training for each discipline
Assist in developing downtime procedures
Provide mentorship opportunities for newer, less experienced staff to grow and develop their knowledge and skills.
Assist in developing, maintaining, and monitoring staff competencies and keeping records for annual reviews.
Assist in planning/coordinating department educational presentation/activities, as well as patient education.
Cascade clinical education updates to staff related to policies, workflows, and evidence based practice changes.