Clinical Education Specialist II

Where You Will Work

As a part of Advocate Health Care, one of the nation’s Top 5 health systems, Advocate Children’s Hospital is the largest network provider of pediatric services in Illinois. Our two main campuses are in the Chicago metropolitan area, Oak Lawn in the southwest and Park Ridge in the northwest. Through a patient-centered holistic approach, Advocate Children’s Hospital combines some of the country’s most respected medical talent with exceptional and compassionate care. In fact, we are recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s leaders in pediatric cardiology and neonatology, and many of our physicians have been recognized as being among the Top Doctors regionally and nationally in their field.

We’re Looking For

Degrees/Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in special education required.
• Masters preferred.
• 5 years of teaching experience with SED students.
• SED or LBS 1 certification required.
• Type 10 LD certification.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Ability to recognize the needs and behaviors of a variety of age groups.
• Familiar with normal growth and development issues, normal issues, normal patterns of behavior and signs of the normal aging process for the designated patient group they are working with.
• Prior experience with various age groups is preferred.
• Good organizational and time management skills.
• Good communication skills for liaison role with staff and school districts.
• Understanding of effective general education and special education practices and curriculum.
• Ability to administer and evaluate educational testing.
• Understanding of the needs of students identified as SED.
• Comfortable working with a team.

What You’ll Do

Schedule: Monday through Friday 8am-4:30pm

Key Responsibilities

• Provide academic instruction to children and adolescent psychiatric patients as an adjunct to prescribed psychosocial therapy, enabling students to maintain educational progress while participating in inpatient or partial hospitalization programs.
• Plan and conduct daily classroom sessions in collaboration with multidisciplinary treatment teams, adjusting educational programming to meet patients' changing needs.
• Provide individualized tutoring and academic support as needed.
• Maintain accurate records of student attendance, participation, progress, and educational services, including documentation required for school district billing.
• Assess educational status upon admission and throughout treatment transitions; complete intake and related educational documentation.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate educational programs that support academic achievement within a clinical or hospital setting.
• Design and implement Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or collaborate with home school teams to modify existing IEPs for students receiving special education services.
• Develop and introduce innovative educational strategies, modalities, and instructional techniques to enhance student learning outcomes.
• Administer and interpret educational assessments and diagnostic evaluations to determine academic functioning, skills, abilities, and limitations associated with learning or developmental disabilities.
• Coordinate with patients, families, schools, counselors, and teachers to exchange assignments, communicate academic progress, and facilitate educational continuity during treatment.
• Obtain school records, curriculum materials, textbooks, tests, and other instructional resources from students' home schools.
• Collaborate with school districts and educational teams to plan, coordinate, and implement educational services, including arranging tutoring support when appropriate.
• Participate in school staffing meetings and provide educational summaries, recommendations, and progress updates related to treatment and academic performance.
• Support successful transitions between hospital-based and community-based educational settings through ongoing communication with families and school personnel.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Actively participate in multidisciplinary treatment planning meetings to identify academic concerns and establish educational goals and interventions.
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals and treatment team members to ensure effective integration of educational services within the overall treatment plan.
• Foster positive working relationships with hospital departments and disciplines to support patient care and educational programming.

Program Administration and Compliance

• Assist leadership with staff orientation, training, and professional development activities as assigned.
• Support departmental goals, objectives, budgets, quality assurance initiatives, productivity standards, policies, and procedures.
• Prepare written educational progress reports, including initial, interim, and discharge summaries.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with all hospital policies, professional standards, and emergency procedures.
• Assist with operational planning, special projects, reporting requirements, and policy development.
• Ensure compliance with hospital standards, accreditation requirements, and applicable educational regulations.
• Monitor and support adherence to departmental policies and procedures while contributing to continuous program improvement.

Professional Development

• Establish and pursue professional development goals in consultation with supervisory staff.
• Participate in continuing education activities, professional organizations, and committees to promote clinical and educational excellence.
• Assist with departmental and hospital-wide in-service training programs as requested.

Financial and Billing Responsibilities

• Manage billing and financial processes related to educational services provided within inpatient and partial hospitalization programs.
• Coordinate reimbursement activities with insurance providers and school district billing departments.
• Maintain documentation required to support accurate billing, reimbursement, and financial compliance.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Ability to demonstrate a commitment to patient-focused care.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with established time constraints and in difficult situations.
• May be exposed to hazardous materials and life-threatening diseases.
• Ability to perform lifting/transfer activities related to patients (up to 50 lbs. may be required).
• Must be able to deal with aggressive children and adolescents.
• Must be able to respond quickly in a crisis situation. If position has direct patient care or direct patient contact the following lifting requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 06/01/2015.
• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance.
• For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available.
• Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
  This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.