Surgical Services RN Nurse Educator

II. GENERAL SUMMARY

The Nurse Education Coordinator for Surgical Services uses critical thinking skills, professional judgment, and leadership to anticipate, plan, direct, and evaluate the care of patients provided by a team of perioperative personnel.

They are responsible for planning, coordinating, and evaluating education programs for Operating Room staff, including RNs, Surgical Technologists, and ancillary personnel. A core requirement of this role is maintaining high-level clinical proficiency; the Educator will be required to scrub into surgical cases to provide direct patient care, mentor staff in the sterile field, and maintain departmental staffing agility. They ensure clinical competency in both scrub and circulating roles, sterile technique, and advanced surgical technology.

These duties are to be performed in a highly confidential manner, in accordance with the mission, values, and behaviors of Insight Hospital and Medical Center. Employees are further expected to provide a high quality of care, service, and kindness toward all patients, staff, physicians, volunteers, and guests.

III. DESCRIPTION

Duties and Responsibilities 

1. Uses the nursing process, critical thinking skills, professional judgment, and the attributes of Careful Nursing to provide care for an assigned population of patients. (20% of time spent)

• Assesses patient needs to determine care requirements.
•  Plans care and delegates tasks to ancillary personnel based on patient assessment.
•  Evaluates patient response to care provided and makes changes in plan for care as needed.
•  Promotes patient/family independence through provision of education related to patient's condition, treatment, medications and on-going self-care requirements 

2. Plans and conducts a variety of in-service orientation and educational programs to meet the needs of Patient Care Services staff at all levels. (20% of time spent)

•  Evaluates and revises centralized programs and orientation programs as required to maintain current content and congruency with the patient care model. 
• Assesses educational needs of staff throughout Patient Care Services and develops plans for learning experiences appropriate for meeting recognized needs.
• Plans and prepares curriculum content and course outlines in conformance with program objectives and accreditation standards. 
• Modifies and updates existing educational programs and/or patient education materials or recommends modifications as appropriate 
• Assists Patient Care Directors in the planning and teaching of nursing skills and procedures particular to a specific patient population 
• Serves as a resource person to the Patient Care Directors and nursing staff regarding educational activities and new nursing techniques. 

3. Participates in the professional advancement system by maintaining skills at a Level I status. (20% of time spent)

• Demonstrates awareness of organizational values, mission and philosophy through interactions with physicians, patients and peers.

1. Demonstrates basic ability to apply the nursing process (assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation and documentation).

2. Completes unit orientation within the stated time frame.

3. Functions independently within established protocols, policies and procedures.

4. Seeks appropriate resources in a timely fashion.

5. Demonstrates basic unit specific competencies.

•  Meets productivity and quality standards for unit; able to care for an average workload.
•  Demonstrates clear verbal and written communication skills.

1. Plans and demonstrates appropriate delegation of duties and follow-up.

2. Participates and documents client specific teaching and discharge planning.

3. Gives clear, concise report (shift, transfer, discharge etc.).

4. Provides clear, concise legible documentation.

•  Assumes responsibility for professional education and development.

1. Completes mandatory in-service requirements. 

• Verbalizes an understanding of the committee structure and function in the Department of Nursing and at the unit level.

3. Regularly scrubbing into surgical cases to mentor staff and support complex procedures. (20% of time spent)

4. Keeps abreast of new developments in training techniques, methods and programs for possible application in nursing education programs. (5% of time spent)

5. Assures high levels of quality of care through compliance with regulatory standards, reference to current research related to patient care outcome and participation in the data collection and analysis process of ongoing quality monitoring. (5% of time spent)

6. Serves on hospital-wide committees as educational consultant as appropriate. (5% of time spent)

7. Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Trustworthy collaboration
• Health education
• Perfect skill in fostering safety and comfort
• Participatory – authoritative management

b. Carries out other duties related to patient care and unit operations as assigned. (5% of time spent)

Total % of Time Spent 100%

IV. JOB SPECIFICATIONS

A. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge:

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing required. Bachelor of Science in Nursing required. Current RN License in the State of Illinois required. Mastery of AORN Guidelines, aseptic technique, and sterile processing standards.

Skills:

Technical Proficiency: Demonstrated ability to perform as a Scrub Nurse in multiple surgical specialties.

Current CPR certification required.

ACLS certification required within first year of hire.

CNOR (Certified Perioperative Nurse) certification highly preferred.

Abilities:

Ability to stand in a sterile gown and gloves for extended periods during surgical procedures.

Ability to quickly recognize changes in patient condition under anesthesia.

Knowledge of patient positioning and skin integrity risks.