Registered Nurse-Nurse Educator-Sterile Processing

Veterans Health Administration • Seattle, WA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The VA Puget Sound Healthcare System is recruiting a Nurse Educator for its Sterile Processing Services (SPS) team. The position provides competent, evidence-based education and training to SPS staff and applies instructional-design principles to educational program development, implementation, and evaluation. The Nurse Educator assesses learning needs, develops training, supports new-employee orientation, evaluates orientation progress, and creates learning plans to address identified deficiencies. The role also includes coaching and mentoring, evaluating current practices and outcomes, reviewing evidence-based literature, and recommending practice or documentation revisions.

The Nurse Educator collaborates with leaders and managers to identify staff education needs and promote competence, critical thinking, and decision-making. The role requires familiarity with Operating Room and SPS structures and procedures, and may include developing SPS policies, procedures, programs, and data-processing applications. The educator provides consultation through organizational committees and analyzes data to evaluate educational programs.

Additional work includes collaborating with the Reusable Medical Device (RMD) Manager on clinical education and follow-up of facility, VISN, national, and Joint Commission findings; participating in specified RMD and infection-prevention committees and inspections; developing annual reprocessing training curricula for SPS and GI staff; and providing individual and group training, orientation, competency assessments, and periodic observations. The position requires hands-on work alongside staff on the floor for 2–3-hour intervals at least three times per month. The educator may also research supplies or equipment that could improve RMD reprocessing.

Work schedule: Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Telework is not available; this is not a virtual position. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• Graduate from a professional nursing school accredited by ACEN or CCNE, or meet an applicable VA education pathway for nursing graduates.
• Hold current, full, active, and unrestricted registered-nurse licensure in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, subject to the stated Graduate Nurse Technician exception.
• Demonstrate basic written and spoken English proficiency.
• Meet the applicable education and experience qualifications for the assigned Nurse grade and level.
• U.S. citizenship is required unless appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy.
• Selected applicants must complete required background/security checks, onboarding, and a pre-employment physical evaluation; testing-designated positions require pre-employment drug testing.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Preferred: 3 years of experience in a reprocessing environment and/or using reusable medical devices.
• Preferred: 2 years of experience training nursing and non-nursing staff at varied experience levels.
• Preferred: Ability to interpret and implement manufacturer instructions for use (MIFU) or instructions for use (IFU).
• Preferred: Ability to develop standard operating procedures and competencies based on MIFUs or IFUs.
• Preferred: Experience delivering varied training modalities, including face-to-face and online training, and working with vendors.
• Preferred: Experience using a reusable medical device tracking system such as Censitrac.
• Preferred: Ability to assess competencies, document results, and maintain a staff competency database.
• Preferred: Ability to make SharePoint changes and provide appropriate access levels to users.

Nice To Haves

• 3 years of experience in a reprocessing environment and/or using reusable medical devices.
• 2 years of experience training nursing and non-nursing staff at varied experience levels.
• Ability to interpret and implement manufacturer instructions for use (MIFU) or instructions for use (IFU).
• Ability to develop standard operating procedures and competencies based on MIFUs or IFUs.
• Experience delivering varied face-to-face and online training modalities and working with vendors.
• Experience using a reusable medical device tracking system such as Censitrac.
• Ability to assess competencies, document results, and maintain a staff competency database.
• Ability to make SharePoint changes and provide appropriate access levels to users.

Responsibilities

• Provide competent, evidence-based education and training to Sterile Processing Services staff.
• Assess learning needs and develop educational training for SPS staff.
• Assist with new-employee orientation, evaluate progress, and develop learning plans to address identified deficiencies.
• Coach and mentor staff.
• Evaluate current practices and outcomes for patient groups and organizational processes within the area of expertise.
• Review current literature and evidence-based research and recommend practice or documentation revisions based on outcome evaluations.
• Collaborate with leadership and unit managers to identify staff training needs and foster competence, critical thinking, and decision-making.
• Apply knowledge of Operating Room and SPS structures and procedures.
• Develop SPS policies, procedures, programs, and data-processing applications as needed.
• Provide consultation and collaborate through organizational committees.
• Analyze and evaluate data to determine outcomes and changes related to educational programs.
• Collaborate with the RMD Manager on clinical education regarding reusable medical devices and follow-up of facility, VISN, national, and Joint Commission findings.
• Participate in RMD general, RMD Champions, Infection Prevention, and National Educators and RMD Managers group committees; attend VISN meetings when notified by the SPS Chief.
• Participate in SPS inspections and present staff competencies and training as needed.
• Develop annual reprocessing training curricula for SPS and GI staff.
• Provide individual and group orientation and training, address specific training needs, and periodically observe staff reprocessing reusable medical devices.
• Work hands-on with frontline staff on the floor for 2–3-hour intervals at least three times per month.
• Research supplies or equipment that may improve reusable medical device reprocessing.

Benefits

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

What This Job Offers

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