RN - Educator

Elderwood • Town of Grand Island, NY

3d • $105,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Elderwood is seeking an experienced Registered Nurse to combine clinical education with active nursing practice. This role involves leading orientation, competency development, clinical education, and employee mentorship, while also participating in direct resident care by working scheduled shifts as a cart nurse. The position emphasizes the belief that clinical connection strengthens nursing education, allowing the educator to understand workflows, identify learning needs, model best practices, and provide grounded coaching. The ideal candidate will be comfortable with both teaching and direct patient care responsibilities, including medication administration, managing resident assignments, and documenting care. This blended role aims to maintain bedside and medication administration skills, understand current unit challenges, identify education needs through direct experience, coach nurses and CNAs in their work environment, and build credibility with frontline staff. The RN Educator will work in a post-acute environment at Elderwood at Cheektowaga, which provides long-term care, memory care, and subacute rehabilitation services. The role involves collaborating with facility leadership and regional consultants to strengthen clinical practice and ensure regulatory readiness. This position offers a pathway into broader clinical and nursing leadership, with potential for advanced development experiences like Widener University’s Director of Nursing Leadership Academy for high-performing RNs interested in future DON roles. The role is designed for experienced RNs who enjoy teaching and developing others while valuing direct resident care and remaining clinically active.

Requirements

• Current license and registration to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse in New York State
• At least one year of experience in a long-term healthcare facility
• Experience providing in-service education or demonstrated skill in clinical teaching
• Current clinical confidence in medication administration, treatments, assessment, documentation, and change-in-condition management
• Willingness and ability to accept a resident assignment and work as a cart nurse when scheduled or operationally necessary
• Ability to teach, coach, mentor, and communicate effectively with employees at different experience levels
• Ability to work cooperatively with frontline employees, preceptors, managers, department leaders, and senior facility leadership
• Strong verbal, written, organizational, and documentation skills
• Ability to manage education, orientation, competency, compliance, and direct-care responsibilities
• Ability to use electronic medical records, learning-management systems, and standard computer applications
• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English at the level necessary for safe care and effective workplace communication

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing or another relevant baccalaureate degree
• Previous RN Educator, Staff Development Coordinator, Nurse Educator, preceptor, RN Supervisor, Unit Manager, or clinical-instructor experience
• Skilled nursing, subacute rehabilitation, or geriatric nursing experience
• Experience developing nursing competencies or supporting regulatory surveys
• Experience with IV therapy, wound care, enteral feeding, post-acute care, or other complex nursing services
• Experience supporting CNA training or Nursing Assistant Training Programs
• Experience as an electronic-medical-record super user

Responsibilities

• Plan and coordinate general orientation with support from facility department leaders
• Lead licensed-nurse, CNA, and Support Aide orientation based on hiring needs
• Partner with Unit Managers and Nurse Preceptors to strengthen department-based orientation
• Provide education, coaching, and follow-up to help new nurses transition successfully into practice
• Evaluate orientation effectiveness and identify employees who need additional education or support
• Plan, deliver, and evaluate nursing education based on clinical needs, quality priorities, regulatory requirements, and identified competency gaps
• Coordinate annual and ongoing clinical-skills competency testing for licensed nurses
• Collaborate with Unit Managers, Nurse Preceptors, and the Regional Nurse Consultant on employee development
• Schedule and lead IV-certification programming based on facility needs
• Coordinate and teach BLS-certification programming and maintain required equipment and records
• Serve as a clinical resource for nurses who need guidance or reinforcement
• Develop education related to new clinical practices, procedures, equipment, policies, and resident-care needs
• Reinforce strong assessment, change-in-condition response, documentation, infection prevention, medication safety, and interdisciplinary communication
• Coordinate CNA and Support Aide orientation programs
• Serve as a primary instructor for the Nursing Assistant Training Program when applicable
• Coordinate program implementation, required documentation, and testing activities
• Assist with Prometric testing coordination for Nursing Assistant Trainees when applicable
• Ensure Nursing Assistants receive required in-service education
• Support CNA development through practical education, coaching, and reinforcement of care standards
• Accept cart-nurse assignments as scheduled or needed based on facility operations and resident-care priorities
• Manage the nursing care and clinical responsibilities associated with the assigned resident group
• Administer medications and treatments safely and accurately
• Assess and monitor residents and respond appropriately to changes in condition
• Communicate clinical changes to providers, nursing leaders, residents, and families
• Complete timely and accurate clinical documentation
• Direct, support, and assist CNAs during the assigned shift
• Model expected clinical, communication, documentation, and infection-prevention practices
• Use direct-care experiences to identify opportunities for education, employee development, and workflow improvement
• Coordinate delivery of mandatory corporate and facility in-service education
• Maintain the monthly education calendar and required reports
• Enroll employees in Learning Management System programs
• Track module completion, competency documentation, certification status, and required education hours
• Follow up with employees and leaders regarding incomplete education requirements
• Serve as a clinical super user for the electronic medical record and help employees use the system accurately
• Perform employee vaccinations, health screenings, and assigned medical testing
• Coordinate emergency-preparedness exercises, including fire, disaster, and Code Blue drills
• Maintain required education, drill, screening, and competency records
• Support facility readiness for surveys, audits, emergencies, and clinical-quality reviews

Benefits

• Clinical schedule flexibility

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level