Clinical Nurse Specialist

Avem Health Partners; Oklahoma City (OK); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Avem Health Partners seeks a Clinical Nurse Specialist to own clinical education, staff competency, and professional practice across a regional network. You will empower direct‑care clinicians and lead evidence‑based practice translation into patient care.

Responsibilities include developing education programs, certifying life support training, mentoring staff, and partnering with facility leaders to advance standards and quality across Avem facilities.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in nursing with CNS preparation; DNP preferred.
• Experience in clinical education, nursing development, or governance.
• Knowledge of adult learning theory and instructional design.
• Ability to manage projects and deploy initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; independent worker.
• Ability to learn new tools quickly with minimal guidance.

Responsibilities

• Own the full clinical education program across all Avem-managed entities regionally.
• Develop, deliver, and evaluate competency-based training and online modules.
• Lead preceptor programs and life support training delivery (BLS/ACLS/PALS).
• Mentor clinicians; drive evidence-based practice and quality initiatives.
• Partner with facilities and IT to meet clinical learning needs in EHR.
• Advance professional practice through council development and education.

Skills

Clinical education coordination

Nursing professional development

Evidence-based practice

Communication skills

Cross-site collaboration

Education

Master's degree in nursing

DNP preferred

RN license Oklahoma/compact state

APRN-CNS certification

ANCC/AACN CNS certification

BLS/ACLS/PALS certification

Tools

EHR proficiency

Project management tools

Job description

Job Purpose

The Clinical Nurse Specialist owns clinical education, clinical staff competency, and the advancement of professional practice across a region of Avem-managed entities. The role exists to develop, empower, and enable direct‑care clinicians (to include all clinical positions, i.e. lab, respiratory, radiology, therapy, etc.) to define, monitor, and improve the standards of their practice, and to ensure those clinicians have the education, competency, and structure to do so. The incumbent contributes to the advancement of clinical practice by reviewing and conducting research and evidence‑based practice and translating those findings into clinical practice.

Essential Functions Include But Are Not Limited To

Specialty clinical expertise & direct care

• Coach and develop direct‑care clinicians in real time through rounding, demonstrating, and problem‑solving alongside staff so expertise transfers into everyday practice.
• Assess clinical practice and care processes directly to identify gaps, risks to quality, and opportunities to improve patient outcomes, then act on what those assessments reveal.

Advancing professional practice & bedside ownership

• Facilitate growth and development of Avem professional practice councils, building them into clinician‑led bodies where direct‑care staff define, monitor, and improve the standards of their own practice.
• Develop, empower, and enable clinicians to lead by facilitating effective meetings, coaching council members, and equipping councils with the data and evidence to evaluate practice against the standard of excellence in their discipline.
• Drive professional practice across all sites and carry practice questions and decisions from the bedside, then translate those decisions into education, competency, and practice change.
• Establish and sustain a clinical peer review process for Avem‑managed facilities.
• Mentor clinicians and serve as a change agent and champion for scientific inquiry, embedding a spirit of inquiry and best practice evidence into how clinicians make practice decisions.

Owning clinical education & clinical staff competency

• In collaboration with facility CNOs and managers, own the full clinical education program across all Avem‑managed entities within a region to include needs assessment, session planning, objective writing, design, delivery, and evaluation, all built on adult learning principles.
• Develop, deliver, and continually strengthen the preceptor program, redesigning it as needed to meet learning objectives and the realities of practice.
• Own competency‑based initial and annual training, including online modules, simulations, and in‑person hands‑on skills fairs—and determine where competencies must evolve based on direct observation of practice, expert input, peer‑review findings, and emerging evidence.
• Build and deliver clinical certification and life support training (BLS, ACLS, PALS and related).
• Serve as a clinical subject matter expert for the electronic health record (EHR), partnering with Information Technology and Informatics to resolve clinical system learning needs.

Research, evidence‑based practice & systems advancement

• Contribute to the advancement of clinical practice in rural health by reviewing and conducting research and evidence‑based practice and translating those findings into clinical practice across the organization.
• Lead clinicians in planning, implementing, and evaluating evidence‑based practice and quality improvement initiatives, and disseminate results so successful change spreads across the managed entities.
• Act as a system change expert, evaluating the impact of new products, technologies, and care models on clinical practice and outcomes, and guiding their adoption.
• Own the memorandums of agreement governing college and university clinical rotations, serving as the single point of accountability for academic partnerships.
• Partner with stakeholders to set the goals and objectives of clinical education at each site and direct the curriculum and continuing education portfolio staff need to maintain credentials and advance professionally.
• Own multiple development deliverables simultaneously and support other priorities as assigned within scope of practice.

Behavioral standards

• Support the mission, vision, and goals of Avem Health Partners and serve as a role model within the company.
• Exhibit positive customer service behavior in everyday work interactions.
• Demonstrate a courteous and respectful attitude to the internal workforce and external customers.
• Communicate accurately and appropriately.
• Handle difficult situations in a discreet and professional manner.
• Hold self accountable for professional practice.
• Participate in performance improvement activities utilizing principles that support and improve departmental goals.
• Demonstrate knowledge of unit goals and remain active in committees and projects to achieve these goals.
• Keep current with literature regarding changing practices, interventions, and best practices.
• Assume responsibility for seeking out educational and professional opportunities for personal learning and growth and meet mandatory education requirements.
• Act as a preceptor as requested.
• Demonstrate excellent work attendance and actively participate in a variety of meetings and training sessions as required.
• Adhere to the Avem Health Partners Code of Conduct and Standards of Behavior.
• Comply with established policies and procedures and all health and safety requirements.

Education & Qualifications

• Master's degree in nursing required from an accredited program with preparation as a Clinical Nurse Specialist; Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in clinical education, nursing professional development, evidence‑based practice, or shared/professional practice governance preferred.
• Working knowledge of adult learning theory and instructional design, with the ability to apply it to the design of learning experiences.
• Experience in project management and project deployment preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and with diverse teams across multiple sites.
• Ability to learn new tools and processes quickly with little guidance or documentation.

Certification & licensure

• Current Oklahoma and/or compact‑state registered nurse (RN) license.
• Current Advanced Practice Registered Nurse — Clinical Nurse Specialist (APRN‑CNS) recognition/licensure through the Board of Nursing.
• Current national Clinical Nurse Specialist certification through ANCC or AACN, appropriate to population and specialty.
• Current BLS, ACLS, and PALS certification (or obtained within 90 days of hire); instructor‑level certification preferred.
• Valid driver’s license.

Physical Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions; such accommodation must be requested by the employee or applicant to be considered. This job requires visual and auditory abilities, which must be intact to perform duties. Travel to remote hospitals across a region is required.