Clinical Nurse Educator - Any Suggestions?

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 6, 2009

What functions do they want you to fulfill? What functions is this new position responsible for? Are you responsible for orientation to your unit? The whole facility? Are you responsible for providing inservices for existing staff? ... or perhaps develop continuing education programs for staff? Are you going to be working with just staff nurses .. or are you also responsible for the education of support staff and/or students?

Start by identifying what it is that you have been hired to accomplish. That will make it a lot easier for you to find direction ... and a WHOLE lot easier for those of us with experience to give you some guidance.

jaflosa · Jun 6, 2009

CLINICAL NURSE EDUCATOR II

The Clinical Nurse Educator II will be responsible for assessing, planning, developing, implementing and evaluating the educational activities for the assigned service/units. Additionally, the Clinical Nurse Educator II will:

- Participate in district nursing education to plan, develop, provide, and evaluate district level nursing education programs including nursing orientation, competency validation, internships, and staff development.

- Support professional nursing practice and supports nurses in the provision of safe, effective, compassionate, and efficient nursing care in collaboration with all health care disciplines.

- Participate in the development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of service/unit plans, goals, objectives, policies, and procedures.

- Facilitate compliance with standards established by professional nursing organizations, national, state, and local regulatory agencies, and institutional policies and procedures.

- Uphold high standards of integrity and ethical behavior, mentors others, role models professionalism and participation in activities such as nursing organizations, nursing research, and the community.

Thanks, I have copied the job diescription for the position.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 7, 2009

I think you start by making connections with the other educators within the system. Meet them, find out what they do, what resources are available, etc. In other words, orient yourself to the people and resources you have to work with.

Then ... start assessing. Assess the current state of education. Your assessment and discussion with your boss should help you establish your priorities. Then you start planning.

I'd also recommend that you look into joining a nursing educator's organization, such as NNSDO, which I think stands for National Nures is Staff Development Organization.

jaflosa · Jun 7, 2009

Thanks a lot llg. I really appreciate the advice. sine I am CRRN I will be responsible for the small facility that house the Rehab and SNU but I will also be responsible for helping the other Med/surg nurse educator with the educational needs of the other 8 Med/surg units within the large county hospital. Your suggestions makes a lot of sense and I feel better because you made it as simple as the nursing process. I learned this in my Masters program I just never had to put it into practice in the a wholly educational setting. But when I think about it the same principles apply as when I find an educational need for one of my patients on the floor. I assess, plan and implement the teaching plan.

AOx1 · Jun 13, 2009

One way you will get involvement from staff is through the assessment portion. I would try to offer a mix of things people would want to learn vs things that are required learning (ex- inservice on new equipment, CPR, etc).

Try to make learning as fun as possible. There are some great books on Amazon for training that make it less dull and more memorable.