Nurse Educator/Infection Preventionist Acute

Lakeland Behavioral Health SystemSpringfield, MO
Onsite

About The Position

Lakeland Behavioral Health is seeking a Nurse Educator/Infection Preventionist (RN). Psychiatric nursing experience is required. As Missouri’s leading psychiatric hospital and treatment center, Lakeland Behavioral Health is a 208‑bed facility serving children and adolescents. We’re known for comprehensive training, dynamic leadership, and a supportive environment that helps nurses reach their highest potential. The Nurse Educator/Infection Preventionist plays a key role in developing and implementing education plans, leading clinical orientation for new hires, identifying staff learning needs and creating targeted training, ensuring compliance with regulatory and safety standards, promoting a culture of continuous learning and professional growth, and modeling best practices in behavioral health nursing. This role also develops and implements facility-wide infection surveillance, prevention, and control policies and procedures.

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in nursing or commensurate experience required.
  • Three years of registered nurse experience required.
  • Two years of behavioral health experience as an RN required.
  • Current state license is required for this position.
  • CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).

Nice To Haves

  • Psychiatric nursing experience is required.
  • Master’s degree in nursing, Healthcare Administration, Education or other clinical field or equivalent combination of education and/or experience preferred.
  • Five + years strongly preferred.
  • Inpatient psychiatry experience as an RN strongly preferred.
  • 1+ years experience in Clinical Education/Training and Development (Preferred).
  • Certification as an NPD Practitioner and/or clinical certification as recognized by American Nurse Credentialing Center. (Preferred).
  • First aid may be required based on state or facility.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and implement facility-wide infection surveillance, prevention and control policies and procedures.
  • Coordinate and lead the facility’s infection prevention and control program.
  • Has the clinical authority and responsibility for determining, preventing and containing infectious outbreaks within the facility.
  • Perform duties with a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude.
  • Recognize that patient safety is a top priority.
  • Facilitates orientation/onboarding program to promote employee retention.
  • Conducts orientation in a manner that fosters a positive learning environment.
  • Role models organizational and personal commitment to new employee success.
  • Participates in designing and identifying educational activities to address practice gaps for identified target audiences, which may include licensed and non-licensed healthcare personnel.
  • Identifies learning needs of staff and/or facility.
  • Role models competent practice through demonstration or simulation activities.
  • Assess practice gaps/Crosswalk competencies to practice.
  • Collaborates with Corporate Nursing Director /Educator to review outcomes data to evaluate and refine competency management activities.
  • Assist with development and/or instruction of didactic content and clinical skills for designated competencies.
  • Develops education plan according to gap assessment or quality data/safety outcomes.
  • Aligns educational programs with facility and/or organization policies and procedures.
  • Implement and deliver educational curricula as required by regulatory agencies such as Joint Commission, CARF, CMS and State agencies.
  • Creates engaging, evidence-based educational content to meet the specific needs of the intended audience.
  • Demonstrates exceptional instructional skills while maintaining learner engagement.
  • Act as a general resource for nursing staff.
  • Collaborate with medical practitioners and CNO/DON to incorporate nursing processes into the plan of care for patients.
  • Provide educational leadership to patients and care providers to enhance specialized patient care within established clinical protocol.
  • Promotes safe, quality, and compassionate patient care.
  • Assist patient and caregivers with education needs, problem solution and health management across the continuum of care.
  • Educate direct patient care staff in the use of equipment, supplies, and coordinates in-service training for appropriate staff.
  • Supports new ideas and innovation in educational design.
  • Provides staff with resources and “just-in-time” education to implement immediate changes.
  • May serve in the role of infection preventionist for the facility with training.
  • May provide direct care as needed.
  • Provides expertise in identifying professional development needs of individual staff.
  • Assists staff to identify areas for individual growth in current role.
  • Identifies and provides opportunities for skill enhancement and mastery.
  • Utilizes novice to expert continuum when developing staff.
  • Promotes certification in areas of nursing specialty.
  • Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) with company match through Acadia Healthcare
  • Generous PTO including vacation, holidays, and sick time
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