Inpatient Therapy Educator

The Inpatient Therapy Educator is responsible for coordinating, developing, and delivering clinical education, competency management, and professional development for therapy staff across both acute care and inpatient rehabilitation (IPR) settings. This role serves as a clinical education leader and connector, ensuring evidence-based practice, regulatory compliance, patient safety, and consistent onboarding and ongoing education for Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Language Pathology staff. The educator collaborates with other departments, such as Clinical Education, Quality, Patient Safety, nursing, and other system-sites, to align best practices. The educator maintains scheduled clinical time in both acute care and IPR to remain connected to frontline practice, support staff, and identify educational needs in real time.

****The compensation range for this position will vary depending on the selected candidate’s licensure and may differ from the range reflected in this posting.


Qualifications

Education Level


Field of Study

Bachelor's Degree


Occupational Therapy


Or


Bachelor's Degree


Physical Therapy


Or


Associate's Degree


Physical Therapy Assistant


Or


Associate's Degree


Occupational Therapy Assistant


Or


Bachelor's Degree


Speech Language Pathology

Licenses/Certifications

Licensed Occupational Therapist (OT) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)


Or


Licensed Physical Therapist (PT) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)


Or


Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)


Or


Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)


Or


Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)


And


Basic Life Support (BLS) within 30 days - American Heart Association (AHA)

Attend and satisfactorily complete all required continuing education regarding the care of acute stroke patients.

Work Experience


Length of Experience

Related field


2+ years

1+ years

Specialized Knowledge and Skills Requirements


Good working knowledge of all aspects of Acute Care and Inpatient Rehab Therapy (PT/OT/SLP).

Demonstrates strong instructional design and facilitation skills to effectively deliver engaging, evidence‑based education for PT/OT/SLP learners.

Skilled in coaching staff on effective education delivery and supporting individualized professional development.

Timely follow-up and accountability.

Highly organized with good attention to detail.

Must be extremely flexible with day-to-day workflows with ability to balance multiple tasks/projects while meeting organizational standards.

Highly motivated to collaborate with interdisciplinary team in the areas of patient safety and quality outcomes

Demonstrates strong leadership skills with the ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical and administrative staff.

Demonstrates solid time management skills, with ability to appropriately balance educator duties with patient care duties.

Forward thinker with ability to see big picture.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions


Complete equivalent of 50% direct patient care hours per week, including a weekend patient care rotation.

Act as a liaison between therapy leadership, bedside staff, clinical education teams, and interdisciplinary partners.

Assist supervisor/manager with planning, coordination, and execution of department-wide education initiatives and accreditation preparation (DNV, CARF, etc.).

Participate in committees, work groups, and quality initiatives related to therapy practice, education, and patient outcomes.

Collaborate with leadership and quality to identify educational gaps and opportunities for staff growth and development.

Assists in evaluating current practices and assists leadership team in implementing evidence-based practice changes

Collaborate with various RN unit leaders, QOCs, supervisors, bedside staff, and other healthcare providers to address issues related to patient care and patient care outcomes

Provides real-time accountability, coaching, and education to promote ownership of safe practice.

Assists supervisor/manager in reviewing incoming reports of events and near misses to identify patterns, trends, potential system lessons, as well as determine whether immediate educational follow-up is required with reporting personnel or department.

Develop training materials and supports patient safety educational sessions as necessary

Develop, coordinate, and maintain department wide orientation and onboarding programs for new therapy staff across acute care and inpatient rehabilitation

Ensure completion, tracking, and documentation of annual and ongoing competencies for all therapy disciplines.

Provide support for therapy preceptors and clinical instructors in both acute care and IPR settings

Support education related to career ladder, professional advancement, and departmental development initiatives.

Coordinate with clinical education and program coordinators to ensure applicable education for DNV accreditation requirements.

Department Specific Job Function


Ensure all disciplines adhere to PT/OT/SLP Practice Act

Ensures and tracks ongoing competency training for each discipline

Assist in developing downtime procedures

Provide mentorship opportunities for newer, less experienced staff to grow and develop their knowledge and skills.

Assist in developing, maintaining, and monitoring staff competencies and keeping records for annual reviews.

Assist in planning/coordinating department educational presentation/activities, as well as patient education.

Cascade clinical education updates to staff related to policies, workflows, and evidence based practice changes.

About Us

Find it here.

Discover the job, the career, the purpose you were meant for. At Carle Health, we're committed to fostering a workplace where every team member feels valued, respected and empowered, where passion and purpose come together to positively impact the lives of our patients and our communities. Find it all at Carle Health.

Our nearly 17,000 team members and providers work together to support patient care across central and southeastern Illinois. We’ve grown to include eight, award-winning hospitals and a multispecialty provider group with more than 1,500 doctors and advanced practice providers. We’re developing the next generation of providers and healthcare professionals through Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the world’s first engineering-based medical school, and Methodist College. Carle BroMenn Medical Center, Carle Foundation Hospital, Carle Health Methodist Hospital, Carle Health Proctor Hospital, Carle Health Pekin Hospital, and Carle Hoopeston Regional Health Center hold Magnet® designations, the nation’s highest honor for nursing care. We offer opportunities in several communities throughout central Illinois with potential for growth and life-long careers at Carle Health.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class. Carle Health participates in E-Verify and may provide the Social Security Administration and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. | For more information: .


Compensation and Benefits

The compensation range for this position is $38.97per hour - $67.03per hour. This represents a good faith minimum and maximum range for the role at the time of posting by Carle Health. The actual compensation offered a candidate will be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, qualifications, location, training, licenses, shifts worked and compensation model. Carle Health offers a comprehensive benefits package for team members and providers. To learn more visit careers.carlehealth.org/benefits.