Registered Nurse-Reusable Medical Device Educator

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Reusable Medical Devices (RMD) Educator within the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System. The role focuses on educating staff to maintain knowledge and skills in response to mandates, needs assessments, and performance improvement plans related to RMDs.

The educator will ensure compliance with nursing standards, provide training on RMD processes, and contribute to patient safety initiatives and VISN-driven quality efforts across the facility.

Qualifications

• English language proficiency is required.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing with ACEN or CCNE accreditation.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered nurse licensure in a U.S. state or territory.
• Foreign nursing education must be evaluated for degree equivalency as needed.
• GNT exception allows temporary appointment while pursuing licensure.

Responsibilities

• The RMD Educator Registered Nurse provides competent, evidence-based RMD practices.
• Provides clinical knowledge for all clinical and semi-clinical Reusable Medical Devices per manufacturers’ IFU.
• Leads quality management, reprocessing training, competency assessment, and SOP development based on IFU.
• Supports succession planning across RMD program areas.

Skills

English proficiency

Nursing education

Evidence-based practice

Clinical nursing knowledge

Regulatory/compliance

Education

Registered Nurse license (US)

BSN or higher

ACEN/CCNE familiarity

State licensure verification

Job description

Summary

The Reusable Medical Devises (RMD) Educator provides education and/or training to increase or maintain the knowledge and/or skills of the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System employees in response to mandates - needs assessments - and other requests associated with performance improvement plans - quality and patient safety recommendations - national or VISN initiatives in relation to Reusable Medical Devices.

Summary

The Reusable Medical Devises (RMD) Educator provides education and/or training to increase or maintain the knowledge and/or skills of the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System employees in response to mandates - needs assessments - and other requests associated with performance improvement plans - quality and patient safety recommendations - national or VISN initiatives in relation to Reusable Medical Devices.

Qualifications

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: The following Scope - Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates - and if appropriate - the level within a grade
• The Dimension requirements (Practice - Veteran/Patient Driven Care - Leadership - Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13074303
• Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I - Level I Delivers fundamental - knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies
• An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing - with no additional professional nursing required
• Nurse I - Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts - cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex
• 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
• Nurse I - Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning
• Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations
• 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
• Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others
• 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
• Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting
• 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 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Preferred Experience: BSN with 2 years pf OR and/or Sterile Processing experience
• Education and Sterile Processing certifications
• Physical Requirements: This clinical position includes a level of physicality normally associated with direct patient care duties performed by nurses for potentially long periods of time
• This may include walking - standing - stooping - bending - sitting - reaching - pushing - and pulling
• It may include moderate lifting/carrying - not greater than 35 pounds following Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM) guidelines
• Employees are expected to employ proper body mechanics during lifting and seek assistance or use mechanical lifts for weights greater than 35 pounds following Safe Patient Handling Guidelines
• Requires adequate vision to accurately perform the assigned duties - distinguish basic colors and assess patients and the environment safely
• The position requires the ability to hear at a level to perform the assigned duties - and the use of hearing aids is permitted.
  

Duties

• The RMD Educator Registered Nurse is responsible for providing competent - evidence based RMD practices
• Responsible for providing clinical knowledge in the processes used for all clinical - semi-clinical Reusable Medical Devises per manufacturers' instructions for use (IFU) throughout the facility
• Responsible for the quality management - reprocessing activities pertaining to training - competency assessment - development of SOPs based on manufacturers' IFU - and aiding in succession planning for all areas of RMD
• Utilizes their in-depth clinical judgement as they assume responsibility for all functions within the RMD Program ensuring the clinical administrative appropriateness of services delivered
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