$8,000 SIGN ON BONUS! POSITION SUMMARY: Provides clinical expertise, education, consultation, leadership and research in selected clinical areas to benefit patients, staff and the organization. Promotes compliance with regulations by working with ECHN staff to develop practices that are relevant and compliant. Facilitates project teams as well as organizational department efforts to improve systems and process within ECHN. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: Must be a graduate of an accredited School of Nursing and hold and maintain current a Registered Nurse license in the State of Connecticut. Must hold a BSN from an accredited University. Master#s Degree in Nursing Preferred # matriculation required after one year in position. Basic certification in area of specialty is preferred:# Education/Critical Care Nursing. EXPERIENCE: Must have at least five (5) years or more of progressive experience in clinical practice, nursing education, and/or nursing management in an acute care setting.## COMPETENCIES: Strong leadership skills, attention to detail and excellent communication skills. Ability to maintain confidentiality. Maintains clinical competency for area of assignment. ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES: Disclaimer: Job descriptions are not intended, nor should they be construed to be, exhaustive lists of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the job.# They are intended to be accurate reflections of the principal duties and responsibilities of this position.# These responsibilities and competencies listed below may change from time to time. Provides educational leadership to direct care providers to enhance specialized patient care within the Intensive Care Units, Step Down Units. Assesses the quality of care for a specific patient population. #Creates an environment of nursing excellence in which high quality care can be provided. Coordinates and implements orientation of nursing staff.# Collaborates to develop individualized orientation programs and monitors orientee#s progress.# Collaborates with Nurse Manager to address orientee concerns/problems.# Ensures accurate completion of orientation paperwork. Collaborates with medical providers, patient care staff, and unit management in the planning, implementation, and delivery of educational curricula. Plans and implements annual competencies through collaboration with the Nurse Manager and Medical providers. Assists with documenting staff completion of nursing competencies. Monitors trends and implements educational strategies to ensure compliance with quality standards and parameters. Uses a comprehensive approach, a high level of discriminative judgment, advanced knowledge, and expert skill to identify problems and issues that interfere with patient care and that may require intervention. Provides clinical practice interventions that result in improvements in clinical outcomes, patient /family satisfaction, resource allocation, staff knowledge and skills, health care team collaboration, and organizational efficiency. Collaborates with members of the healthcare team to develop standards of care, clinical procedures, or quality improvement plans.# Implementation and adherence are evaluated to compare outcomes, refine guidelines, improve clinical management and further promote consistent adherence.# Participates in system evaluation of technology and its impact on patients and resources. Acts as an expert resource that provides pertinent information which enables nurses and others to make decisions based on a wide range of relevant and appropriate alternatives. Supports the Clinical team in their ability to care for this patient population. Participates in both formal and informal teaching and coaching of staff nurses, graduate nursing students, other healthcare professionals and patients/ families. Demonstrates commitment to career development and professional practice of self and staff. Fosters a spirit of inquiry by documenting problems to determine research needs or by generating or refining identified research problems. Interprets and applies research findings. Analyzes and evaluates the appropriateness of research and applies research findings to advance clinical practice and patient care delivery. Evaluates outcomes. Collaborates with nurses, nurse educators, physicians, and other healthcare providers and patients and their families to result in teambuilding, synergism, and integrative solutions. Acts as positive role model for nurses demonstrating practical integration of theory and evidenced based practice. Utilizes evidence based practice in clinical procedures, administrative policies and educational materials for patients, staff and others. Acts as a change agent to provide a link between a variety of resources and staff and asserts clinical and professional leadership in the practice setting or healthcare system, in health care policy and delivery decisions, or in the administration of direct care programs. Acts as a knowledgeable, strong, risk taking nurse leader. Conveys a strong sense of staff advocacy and support.