Clinical Nurse Expert

About Shepherd Center

With five decades of experience, Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is also recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Shepherd is the only rehabilitation facility in the nation with an intensive care unit on-site, allowing us to care for the most complex patients and begin the rehabilitation process sooner. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.

Shepherd Center's culture is one of hope, humor, and hard work. You will enjoy career growth, strong relationships with co-workers, strong support from leadership, and fun activities that have kept over 12% of staff members working at Shepherd for more than 20 years.

About the Role

The Clinical Nurse Expert functions in the role of expert clinician, educator, consultant, and researcher, managing and overseeing evidence-based practices for brain, spinal, and other neurologic disorders. This role works with other managers and directors to ensure nursing practices are of high quality for the center and its programs. The Clinical Nurse Expert participates in hospital-wide and program committees to enhance best practices and collaborates with the CNO, Nurse Managers, and Program Directors to support nursing and therapy practices. The role also manages nurse educators and PCT educators to support the implementation of best practices.

Additionally, this role serves as a lead nurse planner to fulfill ANCC Provider Unit requirements for continuing education. Responsibilities include ensuring coordinated care for all patients in the assigned unit, assessing educational needs, developing education and competency programs (including orientation plans), and facilitating the development of educational materials for staff and patients. The role coordinates classroom and clinical nursing orientation, student placements, preceptorships, and program-specific patient/family education activities. The Clinical Nurse Expert also manages documentation and audits, provides action plans for improvement, and communicates within the center and the broader community to promote excellent customer service.

Responsibilities

• Assess educational needs and develop education/competency programs, including orientation plans, to meet learner needs and ensure the development of necessary knowledge and skills for patient care.
• Recognize high-risk concepts/skills and provide guidance and resources to ensure safe, effective nursing care.
• Communicate and coordinate clinical education needs to leadership.
• Coordinate center-wide educational needs in conjunction with the Nursing Education Committee.
• Facilitate the development of educational materials for staff and patients, as applicable to the assigned unit.
• Coordinate and implement classroom and clinical nursing orientation for the assigned program.
• Coordinate student placement, orient students, and organize preceptorships for nursing students, as applicable.
• Organize and/or facilitate program-specific patient/family education activities, if required.
• Manage documentation and audits, providing action plans for areas needing improvement.
• Communicate within the center and the community to promote excellent customer service and professional sharing of information.
• Participate in educational conferences and presentations for the discipline and educational program.
• Perform literature reviews to ensure nursing practice conforms to the most recent evidence.
• Serve on and contribute to committees, task forces, or focus groups.
• Serve as either Accredited Provider Program Director or Nurse Planner to fulfill ANCC Provider Unit requirements for continuing education.
• Maintain certification(s) and professional growth.
• Practice proper safety techniques in accordance with center and departmental policies and procedures.
• Report employee/patient/visitor injuries or accidents, or other safety issues to the supervisor and in the occurrence notification system.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, organizational standards, and policies and procedures related to the area of responsibility.
• Identify potential risk areas and support the problem resolution process.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing; RN with Master’s Degree in Nurse Education (professional experience in the field of interest accepted).
• Current BLS certification.
• Registered Nurse (RN) certification.
• Certified Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN), MS Certified Specialist, MS Certified Nurse, Pain Management Specialty (American Nurses Credentialing Center), Certified Urologic Registered Nurse (CURN), or Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN) required after three years from date of hire.
• 3-5 years of clinical experience in either Med/Surg or Rehab.

Skills

• Exceptional verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
• Leadership and effective coaching skills.
• Exceptional time management and organizational skills.
• Completes orientation and initial assessment of competency successfully by determined due date.
• Completes mandatory education and annual competency assessment requirements by determined due date.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification.
• Nurse Educator experience or other advanced practice nurse certifications in neurology.

Physical Demands

• Uses body, tools, or special devices to safely, effectively, and efficiently move, guide, or place patients. Involves some latitude for judgment regarding precision and selection of adaptive devices.
• Ability to transfer and position patients, consistent with lifting up to 50 lbs.

Working Conditions

• Some potential for exposure to blood and body fluids.