Nurse Educator (RN) - Days

West Pines Behavioral Hospital is a new 144-bed inpatient behavioral health facility serving Denver area residents, located at 11455 Huron Street, Westminster, CO. A joint venture between Intermountain Health and Acadia Healthcare, the hospital will provide comprehensive inpatient and intensive outpatient services starting December 2024.

About the role

The Nurse Educator plays a critical role in ensuring that behavioral health staff are well-equipped to provide safe, high-quality patient care. This hands-on position is responsible for developing and implementing education plans, identifying learning needs, and leading new hire orientation from a clinical perspective. The Nurse Educator facilitates ongoing training programs, ensures compliance with regulatory guidelines, and fosters a culture of continuous learning. By modeling best practices and engaging staff in evidence-based education, this role directly contributes to enhancing professional competency and patient safety within the facility.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates orientation/onboarding program to promote employee retention.
• Conducts orientation in a manner that fosters a positive learning environment.
• Role models organizational and personal commitment to new employee success.
• Participates in designing and identifying educational activities to address practice gaps for identified target audiences, which may include licensed and non-licensed healthcare personnel.
• Identifies learning needs of staff and/or facility.
• Role models competent practice through demonstration or simulation activities.
• Assesses practice gaps and crosswalks competencies to practice.
• Collaborates with Corporate Nursing Director/Educator to review outcomes data to evaluate and refine competency management activities.
• Assists with development and/or instruction of didactic content and clinical skills for designated competencies.
• Develops education plan according to gap assessment or quality data/safety outcomes.
• Aligns educational programs with facility and/or organization policies and procedures.
• Implements and delivers educational curricula as required by regulatory agencies such as Joint Commission, CARF, CMS, and State agencies.
• Creates engaging, evidence-based educational content to meet the specific needs of the intended audience.
• Demonstrates exceptional instructional skills while maintaining learner engagement.
• Acts as a general resource for nursing staff.
• Collaborates with medical practitioners and CNO/DON to incorporate nursing processes into the plan of care for patients.
• Provides educational leadership to patients and care providers to enhance specialized patient care within established clinical protocol.
• Promotes safe, quality, and compassionate patient care.
• Assists patients and caregivers with education needs, problem-solving, and health management across the continuum of care.
• Educates direct patient care staff in the use of equipment, supplies, and coordinates in-service training for appropriate staff.
• Supports new ideas and innovation in educational design.
• Provides staff with resources and “just-in-time” education to implement immediate changes.
• May serve in the role of infection preventionist for the facility with training.
• May provide direct care as needed.
• Provides expertise in identifying professional development needs of individual staff.
• Assists staff to identify areas for individual growth in current role.
• Identifies and provides opportunities for skill enhancement and mastery.
• Utilizes novice to expert continuum when developing staff.
• Promotes certification in areas of nursing specialty.
• Performs other functions and tasks as assigned.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in nursing, Healthcare Administration, Education, or other clinical field or equivalent combination of education and/or experience preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in nursing or commensurate experience required.
• Five or more years of experience strongly preferred.
• Three years of registered nurse experience required.
• Inpatient psychiatry experience as an RN strongly preferred.
• Two years of behavioral health experience as an RN required.
• 1+ years experience in Clinical Education/Training and Development (Preferred).
• Certification as an NPD Practitioner and/or clinical certification as recognized by American Nurse Credentialing Center (Preferred).
• Current state license is required for this position.
• CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).
• First aid may be required based on state or facility.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, prescription drug plan, flexible spending accounts, and health savings accounts.
• Vision and dental coverage.
• Voluntary short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Employee assistance programs.
• Financial support.
• Tuition reimbursement.

Pay

$95,000-120,000/Year