Staff Development Instructor - RN (Gracedale Nursing Home)

General Purpose

The Staff Development - RN position performs health care training, provides direct instruction, and assists with in-service program development and administration. Responsibilities include the coordination of an in-service educational program, including managing the training needs and provisions with other institution staff, as well as conducting training sessions.

Supervision Received

This position reports directly to the Staff Development Director.

Supervision Exercised

This position exercises limited supervision during orientation and training over the following job classifications: Unit Clerk, Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), and Registered Nurse (RN).

Essential Duties of the Position

• Develops, schedules, and presents in-service courses for professional, technical, and ancillary personnel of the nursing service, including ongoing courses of study and singular topics.
• Conducts formal nurse's aide programs.
• Reviews new employee performance by observing behavior in sessions, discussing progress, and working with them in lab and on the nursing units.
• Holds conferences, evaluates progress, and makes basic assessments of skills acquisition.
• Makes notes of progress and identifies problems and other situations utilizing the Gracedale probationary performance evaluations and the individual program evaluation tools.
• Discusses evaluations with higher-level nursing instruction staff and recommends alternative courses of action.
• Manipulates employee's orientation schedule in order to meet their individual needs.
• Provides ongoing evaluation of nursing staff as needed.
• Presents general orientation sessions for all employees and extended orientation sessions for all new nursing service staff.
• Presents training and retraining sessions on topics such as the implementation of new patient care policies and procedures, infection control, safety, new nursing equipment, and other subjects.
• Identifies books and other instructional materials for use in in-service programs.
• Designs, writes, copies and/or otherwise produces handouts and other training materials for use in training sessions.
• Develops, or assists in the design of, examinations for courses.
• Captures attendance, performance, and other records in order to prepare reports of activities and results for use by facility administration, State or other regulatory agencies.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited school of nursing;
• At least two (2) years of satisfactory full-time experience in professional nursing as a Registered Nurse (RN). One (1) year in long-term care preferred.
• At least one (1) year of full-time, or full-time equivalent, professional work experience in an educator role preferred;
• Possession of a current and unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in Pennsylvania;
• Must complete Feeding Program training.
• For Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) candidates:
• Must be currently attending an accredited school with one (1) year remaining until Registered Nurse (RN) license is obtained. Proof of current enrollment status must be provided to Human Resources upon hire.
• Must possess a current and valid Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) license in Pennsylvania.
• Must provide documentation to Human Resources, within one (1) year of hire, of graduation and proof of Registered Nurse (RN) license in Pennsylvania. Failure to obtain licensure within one (1) year of hire shall be just cause for removal from the position, or termination of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of nursing and other patient care goals, objectives, principles, and practices commonly employed in residential nursing facilities.
• Knowledge of organizational, functional, and operational structure commonly found in residential nursing facilities.
• Knowledge of facility patient care and administrative policies and procedures and general job requirements pertaining to the design and structure of orientation sessions.
• Knowledge and utilization of current, effective training strategies through attendance at webinars, teleconferences, workshops, and/or seminars.
• Basic knowledge of in-service education requirements promulgated by the State and other licensing authorities.
• Basic knowledge of adult education principles and practices.
• Ability to instruct individuals and groups.
• Ability to identify training needs and to design and implement educational programs in response.
• Ability to maintain a flexible schedule in order to perform training duties across all shifts.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, trainees, employees, county officials, and the general public.
• Ability to operate a personal computer and secure information from established data processing, spreadsheet, word processing, database, and graphics programs.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English to perform the duties of this position.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both verbally and in writing.

Tools and Equipment

• Telephone,
• Personal computer/laptop (including word processing and other specialized software),
• Fax machine,
• Copy machine,
• Overhead projector,
• VCR/DVD players,
• Implements used for writing, i.e. pens, markers.

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk, or hear, and must possess agility and strength sufficient to lift, support, and maneuver heavy patients of limited physical capacity.
• The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move twenty-five (25) to fifty (50) pounds.