Job Description

The Professional Development Specialist (PDS) is a self-directed, professional registered nurse with advanced knowledge and expertise specific to his/her clinical area. The PDS serves as an educator, change agent, researcher, servant leader role model and mentor. The PDS role is developed in relationship to responsibilities and specialty population of practice. The PDS will be centrally based and may have additional responsibilities within the department as the need arises.

Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities: Onboarding:

Assessment

Communicates with new employee before start date to make introductions, identify learning style, provides an overview of the orientation process and attempt to alleviate fears and apprehensions.

Diagnosis

Collaborates with the Clinical Manager when a new hire is finalized and hire date is established. There will be discussion regarding new employee's previous work history, clinical background and possible learning needs.

Identification of Educational Outcomes

Prepares a competency-based unit orientation for new hires based on objectives and needs of orientee.

Planning

Prepares a clinical orientation schedule for each new employee based on the employee's previous work experience and clinical background.
Collaborates with manager to identify a compatible preceptor and determine the anticipated length of orientation.

Implementation

Works closely with Orientation Team to ensure new employees have attended all classroom orientation before being oriented to the clinical department.
Schedules and facilitates "class day" for a new employee that is scheduled on the unit to acclimate the new staff member to the physical environment, department standards, performance expectations, and requirements and competencies identified in the new employee's job description.
Provides instruction to new employee on infection control, emergency equipment and typical equipment/products used in the department.
Review importance of customer service.
Provides new employee with a Clinical Performance Record.

Evaluation

Has daily conversations with preceptor regarding orientee's competency-based orientation plan. Follows up to ensure preceptor documents daily progress.
Meets with orientee, preceptor and manager (if necessary) during the clinical orientation to discuss progress, set new goals, facilitate conflict resolution strategies and provide feedback.
Evaluates and documents orientee's progress weekly.
Provides input into the 90 day evaluation of all new employees.
Encourages new hires to evaluate the orientation process and makes revision to orientation content based on this input.

Duties and Responsibilities: On-Going Staff Education:

Assessment

Evaluates the learning needs of the staff at least annually.

Diagnosis

Maintains current knowledge of nursing practice in the clinical setting.
Keeps abreast of educational requirements for all job categories which pertain to clinical care.

Identification of Educational Outcomes

Prepares and/or coordinates staff education for new products, medications, equipment, services provided, performance improvement initiatives and/or regulatory requirements

Planning

Refers to professional literature and evidence-based practice when preparing educational materials.
Maintains Basic Life Support Instructor certification and teaches BLS classes minimally four times in a two year period as deemed necessary.
Collaborates with vendors, physicians, other nurses or professional staff to provide staff education.
Updates content of Education Day annually in collaboration with other educators or unit council members as deemed appropriate per department.

Implementation

Ensures that all staff is scheduled for and attend Education Day annually as deemed appropriate per department.
Ensures that staff completes all required, mandatory education.
Maintain educational files on all employees.

Evaluation

Evaluates staff satisfaction with educational programs
Evaluates for improved clinical outcomes as appropriate

Duties and Responsibilities: Leadership

Demonstrates leadership skills such as the ability to motivate, educate, delegate, and mentor peers and other members of the healthcare team while effectively managing the care of patients and family members. Acts as a resource and educator for multidisciplinary team members and students, continuously evaluating and documenting competency.

Duties and Responsibilities: Professional Development:

Assumes responsibility and accountability for personal professional growth and development. Contributes to the professional development of peers, colleagues and others.
Supports self and peer professional growth and development based on information received in periodic (at least annual) needs assessment.
Provides on-going education for individuals in leadership positions such as charge nurse, council chairs or preceptors.
Completes all educational requirements to maintain necessary population specific competencies. Submits required test and paperwork in a timely manner.
Participates in self and peer review. Uses performance improvement data as a mechanism to positively recognize staff performance.
Prepares for certification examination for self and peers in the clinical area through review courses or study groups.
Participates in appropriate professional organizations.
Evaluates reports of nurse-sensitive outcomes and prepares staff education based on this data.
Participates in community services activities.

Duties and Responsibilities: Other :

Is available to provide education to employees on all shifts.
Participates in councils, task forces, and committee meetings (house wide and unit-based) to improve competencies of the staff members per management's discretion

Qualifications

EDUCATION: Graduate of accredited school of nursing. BSN required/ MSN with education focus, or MEd preferred.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: Minimum of five years of applicable clinical nursing experience or three years applicable clinical nursing experience and two years of formal educator experience preferred.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE: Excellent communication and teaching skills are required. Actively seeks opportunities in area of expertise and /or in education to improve own knowledge by regularly attending continuing education programs.

LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS:

Graduate of an approved School of Nursing, Current RN licensure in the state of employment.

The RN holds a current licensure to practice nursing in her/his state of employment. Membership in professional organizations is desirable.

Certification in area of specialty is preferred certification in Nursing Professional Development (through American Nurses Credential Center [ANCC] or Association for Nursing Professional Development [ANPD] required within two years..

BLS certification is required.

ACLS certification required for all critical care areas.

NRP certification is required for all perinatal areas.

The Christ Hospital

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