Registered Nurse - Clinical Nurse Educator

Summary

The Nurse Educator (NE) reports directly to the Nurse Manager, Nursing Education. This nurse shares responsibility for planning, developing, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating educational programs/activities based on assessed learning needs of staff and nursing service to improve quality patient care and organizational processes in Nursing Service. Responsible for the coordination of education focused on staff, self-management, and customer satisfaction.

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Duties

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The Clinical Nurse Educator provides educational instruction and training for nursing staff in clinical and outpatient units. They understand instructional design, implementation, and application related to education and training.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible for providing competent, evidence-based education to staff.
• Assists staff members in gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to provide effective patient care, fulfill organizational goals, and achieve professional growth through utilization of practice standards.
• The NE has responsibility and accountability for education program delivery, to include course development, design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Provides educational instruction and training for nursing staff in inpatient and outpatient units.
• Understands instructional design, implementation, and application related to education and training.
• Performs learning needs assessments and develops educational training for clinical staff within the organization.
• Assists with the orientation of new employees, evaluation of their progress in the orientation process, and development and implementation of a learning plan for improving identified deficiencies.
• ?Works collaboratively, consulting with Chiefs,?Nurse Managers/Supervisors, and organizational leadership to assess, develop, implement, and evaluate educational programs for staff.
• Serves as content expert, provides insight to improve clinical outcomes. Evaluates educational outcomes and develops a plan for follow-up education as indicated.
• Participates in workshop/continuing education programs designed for career advancement as well as functions in classroom teaching environments and clinical arenas.
• Supports nurse residency programs including the development of curriculum utilizing strategic learning methodologies such as simulation, lecture, case studies, and virtual reality.
• Collaborates with other Clinical Nurse Educators and interprofessional healthcare teams in the ongoing clinical education activities including in-services, training, competency assessment, and evaluations of both current and new staff nursing skills.
• ?Demonstrates familiarity with established policies and procedures in accordance with regulatory agencies and VA policy. Exhibits ability to articulate and interpret organizational policies and procedures.
• Reviews current nursing literature for new trends and changes based on evidence-based research with the ability to propose practice and documentation revisions based on evaluation of outcomes
• Fosters staff participation in educational projects and activities to promote professional development; and
• Performs other duties as assigned.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards

Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm; however, tour modifications and rotations may be required to meet the needs of the medical center when needed.

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements :

• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD).
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.

Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment:

Grade/Level

Scope

Education

Nurse I, Level I

Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies.

An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required.

Nurse I, Level II

Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex.

An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ; OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required.

Nurse I, Level III

Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations.

An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience.

Nurse II

Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others.

A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience.

Nurse III

Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting.

MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III.

* Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

Preferred Experience:

• MSN or Master's in a related field
• Five (5) years of nursing experience in medical-surgical, outpatient care setting critical care, or emergency medicine.
• Adult education experience.
• 2-3 years of clinical instructor/educator experience
• Ability to develop and implement education programs
• Familiarity with simulation-based education
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TEAMS)
• Excellence in interpersonal relationship skills, flexible and able to adjust to an ever-changing work environment
• National certifications: CCRN, CCRN-K, TCRN, PCCN, PCCN-K, CEM, CMC, CMSRN, CNE, CNOR, CRRN, CVRN-BC, PMH-BC, GERO-BC, MEDSURG-BC, OCN, NEA-BC, NE-BC, NPD-BC.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

Physical Requirements:

This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. It requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required, and mechanical inpatient lifts are provided as needed. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and must be able to don protective clothing in isolation situations, during operative/invasive procedures, or in home-care settings. The incumbent may occasionally encounter patients who are combative due to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. A mature, flexible, and sensible demeanor is essential, with the ability to work effectively in stressful situations and adjust priorities based on patient needs.

The incumbent must meet annual Employee Health requirements, including TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. For staff providing care in home settings or other off-site locations, driving and/or riding in GSA vehicles may be required.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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