Clinical Nurse Educator – Surgery

The University of Kansas Health System; North Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Kansas Health System seeks a Unit Educator to lead a nursing unit, collaborate with care teams, and drive education that supports safe, evidence-based patient care.

You will mentor staff across shifts, schedule orientation, and coordinate performance-improvement activities, including PDCA projects, to advance clinical excellence and staff development.

Qualifications

• High School Graduate required.
• Bachelor Degree in Nursing required.
• In certain Market Locations (Southwest KC) BSN is required upon hire; ADN hires must enroll in BSN within 6 months and complete within 3 years.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the health care team to ensure safe, effective, evidence-based patient care.
• Supports patient care by coordinating floor coverage strategies with Nurse Manager(s) and Unit Coordinator(s).
• Mentors staff in clinical competencies and professional behaviors including weekend and night shifts.
• Assesses learning needs considering generational and cultural differences.
• Implements varied teaching strategies to meet learner needs.
• Ensures documentation of orientation and education activities and maintains employee files.
• Facilitates unit education, CEU opportunities, and promotes national certification.
• Models evidence-based practice and participates in policy development.

Skills

Mentoring staff

Clinical education

Quality improvement

Adult learning principles

Education

Bachelor Degree Nursing

Master Degree Nursing

Job description

Position Summary / Career Interest:

The Unit Educator is a unit leader and clinical nurse who collaborates with the health care team to ensure safe, effective, evidence-based and quality patient care. Supports the provision of patient care by working with the Nurse Manager(s) and Unit Coordinator(s) to provide strategies for floor coverage when needs arise.

Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions

• Collaborates with the health care team to ensure safe, effective, evidence-based and quality patient care.
• Supports the provision of patient care by working with the Nurse Manager(s) and Unit Coordinator(s) to provide strategies for floor coverage when needs arise.
• Actively mentors all staff (including weekend and night staff) in ongoing development of clinical competencies and professional behaviors and communication.
• Assesses unit and individual learning needs, considering generational and cultural differences.
• Implements alternative and varied teaching strategies to meet learner needs.
• Assures that processes are in place for documentation of orientation and other educational activities, and that employee files meet hospital and regulatory requirements.
• Facilitates ongoing unit education and professionalism through the provision of in-services and CEU opportunities, promoting national certification, and providing resources and support for the development of professional portfolios.
• Models evidence-based practice and participates in the development and review of policies and procedures.
• Organizes new employee orientation on unit by scheduling preceptors and times, intermittent follow-up, and providing oversight of orientation and competency of unit staff.
• Supports performance improvement initiatives and educates and facilitates performance improvement methodologies such as PDCA and small tests of change.
• Must be able to perform the professional, clinical and or technical competencies of the assigned unit or department.
• These statements are intended to describe the essential functions of the job and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities. Skills and duties may vary dependent upon your department or unit. Other duties may be assigned as required.

Required Education and Experience

• High School Graduate
• Bachelor Degree Nursing
• Southwest KC Market Locations: Nurses hired after November 1, 2025, BSN degree is required upon hire. For ADN prepared nurses hired before November 1, 2025, must be enrolled in a BSN degree program within 6 months of hire date, must complete BSN degree by the third anniversary of hire date.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master Degree Nursing

Required Licensure and Certification

• Licensed Registered Nurse (LRN) – Single State – State Board of Nursing or compact license
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BLS or BCLS) – American Heart Association (AHA) within 14 days

We are an equal employment opportunity employer without regard to a person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation), national origin, ancestry, age (40 or older), disability, veteran status or genetic information.