Nursing - Education Specialist: Surgery Job Details

Nursing - Education Specialist, Surgery

 1.        Position Purpose

            - Job summary includes: providing clinical leadership in surgical specialty to ensure consistent high quality standards of care and patient outcomes.  Uses evidence and research, the nursing process, program development and other systems-based approaches to establish and maintain high quality care.

           - Provides direct care and role models professional practice and customer service behaviors.  Implements perioperative clinical improvements using evidence-based practice, staff education and training, program development and evaluation.  Measures effectiveness of care processes and provides leadership for ongoing quality and safety improvement efforts within department.  Actively collaborates with all disciplines, services and departments to ensure continuity of quality and consistent outcomes across continuum.

2.         Major Challenges

            1.         Adapting to patient variety and complexity.

            2.         Prioritizing, organizing and appropriately delegating patient care activities.

            3.         Collaborating with multiple disciplines to ensure patient and family needs being addressed.

            4.         Promoting consistency across diverse specialty areas.

            5.         Diverse levels of educational preparation and work experience for staff development issues.

Essential functions of the position are indicated by a “*” throughout the document. It is not intended to be a complete listing of the duties of the job.  Employees may be assigned other tasks and the essential functions of the position may be amended or changed at any time, with or without notice.  For a more complete description of the job, please see the corresponding performance appraisal.

3.         Job Responsibilities

             Total 100%

·         .5 of this position is delivering hands on pt care,  .5 is developing department/staff education plans.

 Note: the responsibilities above incorporate Gillette Customer Service Expectations with a value of at least 30%.  These include courtesy and respect, image, communication, responsiveness and teamwork.

4.         Qualifications

            Required:

1)                  Graduate of accredited Masters level nursing program or related field (Masters candidate or willingness to obtain within 3 years may be considered), *licensure or eligible for licensure as an RN in Minnesota.

2)                  Requires OR nursing certification within 2 years.

            3)         Demonstrates skill in interpersonal communication, organizational and leadership skills.  Demonstrates competence in working with infants, children, and adolescents with disabilities and their families.  Able to function independently.

Preferred:      

1)           AORN certification.

5.         Decision Making/Freedom to Act

            - Full decision making as defined in Nursing Practice Act.   Decisions must be consistent with Minnesota statutes, JCAHO standards, Gillette policies and standards, current MNA/MMA Memorandum of Understanding (re: prescriptive authority), ANA code for nurses, protocols, and practice agreement.

            - Decisions referred to manager or designee include unresolved patient care issues, variances in care, standards or outcomes and unsafe conditions.

6.         Working Conditions

             In compliance with the Employee Right to Know Act and OSHA Standards, this position is reviewed for hazards and activities and controls are outlined in detail in the Safety and Security Manual.  This position includes potential hazards/risks related to ergonomics/body mechanics, chemical hazards, infectious agents, SHARPS, harmful physical agents, mechanical/electrical equipment and hazardous substances.  

7.         Quantitative Data

Direction is provided to all staff members (RN’s, surgical technicians, surgery scheduler, reprocessing staff, nursing assistants, department secretary, nurse interns and students).  Collaborates with staff members to ensure coordination of mentor program.