Perioperative Services- Nurse Educator

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Hines (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Nurse Perioperative Educator to lead evidence-based education for perioperative nursing staff. The role includes instructional design, delivery of training, and designing comprehensive orientation for new perioperative personnel.

The educator will ensure proficiency in English, maintain licensure, and align programs with VA standards, while advancing staff competencies across RNs, LPNs, and unlicensed personnel.

Qualifications

• English proficiency required to communicate with staff and ensure accurate documentation.
• Graduate of an approved nursing program in good standing with applicable licensure.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted RN license in a US state, territory, or the District of Columbia.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert education and training to perioperative nursing staff (RNs, LPNs, and PNPs).
• Design, implement, and evaluate orientation programs for new perioperative personnel.
• Apply instructional design principles to nursing education and training within Perioperative Services.

Skills

English proficiency

Educational instruction

Education

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing

BSN with nursing experience

MSN or related field with BSN

Job description

The Nurse Perioperative Educator is responsible for providing expert, evidence-based education to staff. Provides educational instruction and training for nursing staff in Perioperative Services. The Perioperative Nurse Educator understands instructional design, implementation, and application related to education and training. Designs, implements, and evaluates comprehensive orientation programs for new perioperative nursing staff, including RNs, LPNs, and unlicensed assistive personnel.

Basic Requirements

• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD).
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.

Grade Determinations

Grade/Level Scope Education

• Grade/Level Nurse I, Level I Scope Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. Education An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required.
• Grade/Level Nurse I, Level II Scope Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. Education An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required.
• Grade/Level Nurse I, Level III Scope Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. Education An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience.
• Grade/Level Nurse II Scope Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. Education A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience.
• Grade/Level Nurse III Scope Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. Education MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III.

*Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

Preferred Experience

• Minimum 5 years of Operating Room (OR) experience required
• BSN preferred

Reference

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements

This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nurses such as direct patient care, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling.

Examples may include but are not limited to:

• Significant amounts of time standing assisting assigned patients.
• Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols Position specific duties/expectations are detailed in the associated competency and should be performed once the competency has been validated.

This position potentially requires flexibility in schedule and assignments.