unit based educators

[syb]

We are currently looking into growing unit based educators to handle the staff education, training, etc. Is anyone using this model in their practice setting? Who does the unit based educator report to? Are they required to be masters' prepared? Is there a job description and evaluation tool specific to the role? I would appreciate any info you can share.

Thanks

[errneducator]

Yuma,

IUPUI offers several different offerings for staff educators. I know they have one for the new staff educator. Here is the link. http://nursing.iupui.edu/LifelongLearning/default.asp

I am new to my position also and have been looking for info for myself.

[castens]

We have staff educators at our hospital, of which I am one.

Our educators aren't unit-based per se but have extensive clinical experience. Most have Master's degrees or are Master's-prepared. I am actually the exception (I have a post-bacc ADN), but since my career goal is actually DNP (starting school up again in the fall) I was hired in light of my experience.

Using myself as an example:

I report to the manager of Staff and Patient education who reports to the Director of Education and Clinical Practice. Since we're all in the same office, we all work together and I chat and receive guidance a lot from the director as well. (She is also the head of our CNS program - very busy).

I am the educator for Critical Care (Trauma-Neuro ICU, Cardiac-Medical Critical Care) and for our neurosurgery step-down unit.

I meet with the nurse managers of my units on a regular basis (weekly or so) and do unit rounds every day to resource my staff and find education needs (new equipment, procedures, etc). I work very closely with my CNSs and many time our roles get blurred - except in tasks clearly defined by the MN Nurse Practice Act, of course. I would say this is one-third of my duties.

Another third is the teaching of classes. I teach our hospital's EKG and rhythm interpretation classes and I also design/teach our critical care entry courses. I frequently help out with our new grad entry classes.

The final third is very much Human Resources support. I meet with all new RNs hired into my three units, do their initial hire assessments and guide their orientation with preceptors. I also do follow-up assessments if needed for performance improvement.

Hope this helps!