RN Nurse Educator - Infection Preventionist

About the position

The RN Registered Nurse Educator / Infection Preventionist at Options Behavioral Health is responsible for planning, developing, and coordinating continuing nursing in-service education programs for all clinical and non-clinical nursing staff. This role aims to enhance professional practice and the provision of quality patient care through evidence-based educational programs. Additionally, the position involves coordinating and leading the facility's infection prevention and control program, determining, preventing, and containing infectious outbreaks within the facility. The educator must perform duties with a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude, recognizing that patient safety is a top priority.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Identifies learning needs of staff and/or facility.
• Role models competent practice through demonstration or simulation activities.
• Assesses practice gaps and crosswalk competencies to practice.
• Collaborates with Corporate Nursing Director/Educator to review outcomes data to evaluate and refine competency management activities.
• Assists 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.
• Implements and delivers educational curricula as required by regulatory agencies.
• Creates engaging, evidence-based educational content to meet the specific needs of the intended audience.
• Demonstrates exceptional instructional skills while maintaining learner engagement.
• Acts as a general resource for nursing staff.
• Collaborates with medical practitioners and CNO/DON to incorporate nursing processes into the plan of care for patients.
• Provides educational leadership to patients and care providers to enhance specialized patient care.
• Promotes safe, quality, and compassionate patient care.
• Assists patients and caregivers with education needs, problem solution, and health management.
• Educates direct patient care staff in the use of equipment, supplies, and coordinates in-service training.
• Supports new ideas and innovation in educational design.
• Provides staff with resources and 'just-in-time' education to implement immediate changes.
• Communicates therapeutically and professionally with patients, visitors, coworkers, and others.
• May provide direct care as needed.
• Conducts ongoing surveillance of infections.
• Gathers and interprets data and keeps accurate records of all infections.
• Compiles and presents Infection Reports to the Safety/Infection Control Committee.
• Inspects environment and observes personnel activities for infection hazards.
• Monitors and evaluates compliance with standards set by facility policy and industry.
• Monitors and updates all facility department supervisors on area-specific policies and procedures.
• Investigates all 'exposure incidents' and oversees post-exposure evaluation.
• Notifies designated medical, administrative staff, and health department authorities of reportable communicable diseases.
• Develops and provides in-service and orientation programs concerning infection prevention.
• Trains staff on infection prevention and control protocols.
• Assesses and reinforces infection prevention practices.

Requirements

• Master's degree in nursing, Healthcare Administration, Education or other clinical field or equivalent combination of education and/or experience preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in nursing or commensurate experience required.
• 5+ years of experience as a registered nurse strongly preferred.
• Three years of registered nurse experience required.
• Inpatient psychiatry experience as an RN strongly preferred.
• Two years of behavioral health experience as an RN required.
• One or more years' experience in infection control 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.

Nice-to-haves

• Certification by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology preferred.
• CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification required (training available upon hire).
• First aid may be required based on state or facility.

Benefits

• Medical and prescription drug plan.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Health savings accounts.
• Vision and dental coverage.
• Voluntary short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Employee assistance programs.
• Financial support.
• Tuition reimbursement.