Professional Development Specialist-RN - Main Oncology Admin - Full Time - Days

About the role

The Professional Development Specialist (PDS) is a self-directed, professional registered nurse with advanced knowledge and expertise specific to his/her clinical area. The PDS serves as an educator, change agent, researcher, servant leader role model and mentor. The PDS role is developed in relationship to responsibilities and specialty population of practice. The PDS will be centrally based/department based and may have additional responsibilities within the department as the need arises.

Responsibilities

• Onboarding

  • Assesses and communicates with new employees before their start date to make introductions, identify learning style, and provide an overview of the orientation process.
  • Collaborates with the Clinical Manager to finalize new hires and establish hire dates, discussing their previous work history, clinical background, and potential learning needs.
  • Prepares a competency-based unit orientation for new hires based on objectives and needs of the orientee.
  • Plans and implements a clinical orientation schedule for each new employee based on their previous work experience and clinical background.
  • Schedules and facilitates "class day" for new employees to acclimate them to the physical environment, department standards, performance expectations, and competencies identified in their job descriptions.
  • Provides instruction on infection control, emergency equipment, and typical equipment/products used in the department.
  • Reviews the importance of customer service and provides a Clinical Performance Record to new employees.
  • Follows up with the preceptor to document daily progress and meets with the orientee, preceptor, and manager (if necessary) to discuss progress, set new goals, facilitate conflict resolution strategies, and provide feedback.
  • Evaluates and documents the orientee's progress weekly and provides input into the 90-day evaluation of all new employees.
  • Encourages new hires to evaluate the orientation process and makes revisions to orientation content based on this input.

• On-going Staff Education

  • Evaluates the learning needs of the staff at least annually.
  • Maintains current knowledge of nursing practice in the clinical setting and keeps abreast of educational requirements for all job categories pertaining to clinical care.
  • Prepares and/or coordinates staff education for new products, medications, equipment, services provided, performance improvement initiatives, and/or regulatory requirements.
  • Refers to professional literature and evidence-based practice when preparing educational materials.
  • Maintains Basic Life Support Instructor certification and teaches BLS classes minimally four times in a two-year period as deemed necessary.
  • Collaborates with vendors, physicians, other nurses, or professional staff to provide staff education.
  • Updates content of Education Day annually in collaboration with other educators or unit council members as deemed appropriate per department.
  • Ensures that all staff is scheduled for and attends Education Day annually as deemed appropriate per department.
  • Ensures that staff completes all required, mandatory education.
  • Maintains educational files on all employees.
  • Evaluates staff satisfaction with educational programs and evaluates for improved clinical outcomes as appropriate.

• Leadership

  • Demonstrates leadership skills such as the ability to motivate, educate, delegate, and mentor peers and other members of the healthcare team while effectively managing the care of patients and family members.
  • Acts as a resource and educator for multidisciplinary team members and students, continuously evaluating and documenting competency.

• Professional Development

  • Affirms responsibility and accountability for personal professional growth and development.
  • Contributes to the professional development of peers, colleagues, and others.
  • Supports self and peer professional growth and development based on information received in periodic (at least annual) needs assessments.
  • Provides on-going education for individuals in leadership positions such as charge nurse, council chairs, or preceptors.
  • Completes all educational requirements to maintain necessary population-specific competencies.
  • Submits required test and paperwork in a timely manner.
  • Participates in self and peer review.
  • Uses performance improvement data as a mechanism to positively recognize staff performance.
  • Prepares for certification examinations for self and peers in the clinical area through review courses or study groups.
  • Participates in appropriate professional organizations.
  • Evaluates reports of nurse-sensitive outcomes and prepares staff education based on this data.
  • Participates in community services activities.

• Other

  • Is available to provide education to employees on all shifts.
  • Participates in councils, task forces, and committee meetings (house wide and unit-based) to improve competencies of the staff members per management's discretion.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• BSN required/MSN with education focus, or MEd preferred.
• Minimum of five years of applicable clinical nursing experience or three years applicable clinical nursing experience and two years of formal educator experience preferred.
• Excellent communication and teaching skills are required.
• Actively seeks opportunities in area of expertise and/or in education to improve own knowledge by regularly attending continuing education programs.
• License and certifications: Graduate of an approved School of Nursing, Current RN licensure in the state of employment, Certification in area of specialty is required; certification in Nursing Professional Development (through American Nurses Credential Center [ANCC] or Association for Nursing Professional Development [ANPD] required within two years), BLS certification is required, ACLS certification required for all critical care areas, NRP certification is required for all perinatal areas.