Job Description Summary
We are seeking a Clinical Professional Development Specialist to join our Clinical Professional Development Department. This dynamic team leads the ANCC Provider Unit to support colleagues and influence patient outcomes. The CPDS collaborates with OR Nurse Leadership to ensure staff have the knowledge and skills needed to provide competent, compassionate and professional nursing care for patients and their families across the continuum of care. Perioperative Services includes (14) hospital OR’s and (6) Ambulatory Surgery Center OR’s. We perform all surgical services (except cardiac) on patients 5 yrs and older.
At South Shore Health, our nurses voices matter in decision-making, problem-solving, and innovation. Shared Governance is an organizational structure that provides a framework, based on the belief that nurses closest to the patient are in the best position to make decisions related to patient care and nursing practice. This framework allows nurses at all levels to work collaboratively to advance nursing practice, standards and outcomes as leaders. The framework empowers clinical nurses to participate and lead decision-making processes, based on evidence-based practice.
*Relocation Assistance Available including relocations within MA
*Comprehensive Benefits Package which new employees can enroll in on their 1st day of employment
*Free parking
Salary Range: Commensurate with experience; low to mid 100's
Job Description
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Education – Responsible for ongoing needs assessment to identify gaps in knowledge, skills and abilities, including competencies, strengths, and opportunities to improve critical thinking, interpersonal, and technical skills. Develops and delivers/coordinates education programs including nursing orientation, continuing education, new nurse transition to practice programs, specialty transition to practice programs, internal career development programs, primary and secondary clinical research, and other programs/opportunities to support competence and professional growth of the nursing staff and those interested in nursing.
2. Onboarding/Orientation - Collaborates with Department/Clinical Manager to develop individualized orientation programs for all new staff members within the department. Creates competency based orientation checklists for all nursing related roles (e.g.MA, NA, RN) division. Assists those new to and experienced nursing colleagues during their transition into the organization by providing orientation, guidance, and support. Collaborates with and mentor’s unit based preceptors to provide comprehensive orientation experiences for all new staff members
3. Competency Management – Develops and manages a competency framework that identifies knowledge, skills, and abilities essential in the daily clinical practice for the nursing staff, and ensures that is structured to allow nurses to progress and maintain effective practice standards, ensuring safe, high-quality patient care. Continues to review and update the framework when needed to meet changing healthcare requirements.
4. Clinical Inquiry and Evidence-based Practice – Advises, collaborates, translates, integrates, and evaluates research and evidence within the organization through practice, education and reflective discussion with staff. Integrates relevant research outcomes into nursing professional development practice through effective learning activities, and brings the Evidence-based Practice to the point of care. Serves as a mentor to staff. Collaborates with Nurse Scientist. Drives internal and external dissemination of evidence-based practice clinical outcomes to professional organizations.
5. Collaborative Partnerships – works closely with nursing and inter-professional leaders and key stakeholders to achieve strategic goals and initiatives. Promotes and cultivates positive relationships with academic programs. Engages as an educator in area of clinical specialty on a local, state, and/or national level to review trends in clinical education, practice and regulation impacting the nursing staff. Considers system impact to divisional changes.
6. Mentorship – serves as a mentor to all nursing staff and those interested in the nursing profession, guiding them through the various pathways of their career. Provides assistance with a nurses’ professional development plan. Acts as a role model.
7. Leadership - As a key member of the nursing leadership team, plays an instrumental role in supporting the implementation of decisions that affect nursing practice in the clinical area. Leads the planning and execution of educational programming for new or changing programs of care. Acts as a subject matter expert in development of clinical policies and procedures as requested. Identifies and participates in quality performance improvement activities. Mentors colleagues, nurses, students and others as appropriate. Demonstrates leadership in nursing/clinical area through involvement in professional organizations. Participates in strategic planning, ad hoc projects and educational activities as assigned for the department (may include inter-professional initiatives). Communicates effectively with colleagues across SSHS to advance goal achievement and promote lifelong learning. Demonstrates responsibility for reporting to licensing, certification, accreditation, and other regulatory bodies for educational program compliance. Accepts Committee and workgroup appointments and actively participates to affect change in patient care and the South Shore Health (SSH) system. Consistently prioritizes tasks effectively and ensures deadlines are met.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Education
BSN in Nursing or matriculation into an accredited program approved by the Nursing Director.
*Educators with a Master’s degree are referred to as Clinical Professional Development Specialists. Educators with a BSN are referred to as Clinical Nurse Educators.
Minimum Work Experience
A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible nursing experience relative to the designated clinical services area preferred.
Required Licenses
RN - Registered Nurse
Required Certifications (determined by division) may include:
BLS - Basic Life Support (AHA)
ACLS - Advanced Cardiac Life Support (AHA)
NRP-Neonatal Resuscitation Program
PALS- Pediatric Advanced Life Support
TNCC- Trauma Nurse Core Course
Instructor level certification required for certain divisions and may include
(but not limited to):
• AHA BLS instructor
• AHA ACLS instructor
Achieving Professional Certification is an expectation once eligibility criteria are met.
Belonging to a professional organization is strongly encouraged.
Required additional Knowledge and Abilities
• A strong understanding of adult learning principles and practices.
• Excellent coaching and mentoring skills.
• A desire for lifetime learning and application of evidence-based practice
• Analytical abilities to determine nursing professional development needs.
• Ability to track trends for future learning needs and opportunities.
• Expertise in measuring results or data and assessing learning outcomes.
• Flexibility to adapt or change learning strategies based on outcomes.
• Broad knowledge of education providers and opportunities.
• Excellent communication skills. Strong public speaking skills.
• Strong management skills, including the ability to adapt when balancing different priorities among various stakeholders.
• Ability to follow the educational planning process recommend by American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN)
• Supports educational initiatives at the division and system level
• Responsible to lead or co-lead comprehensive programming for all new and existing colleagues within the Nursing Division (e.g. orientation, skills days, general assistance)