Summary

The Registered Nurse (RN)-Clinical Nurse Educator is responsible for the Nursing Service Orientation (NSO), Skills Resource Fair, Nursing Recognition, and is the Clinical Skills Platform Program Manager. The RN assumes responsibility for the coordination of education focused on staff education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the healthcare continuum; knowledge and participation in the department level quality improvement process, initiatives, and customer service programs.

Duties

The RN-Clinical Nurse Educator Responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising staff education. Duties of the position include, but are not limited to:

• Deliver a fundamental understanding of adult learning principles and a lifelong learner that can practice with flexibility to adapt or change learning strategies based on the assessment of learning needs within the healthcare organization.
• Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate educational needs to facilitate learner development and skill training of clinical staff.
• Responsible for the coordination of education focused on staff education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the healthcare continuum.
• Provide educational instruction and training for nursing staff in clinical and outpatient units.
• Perform learning needs assessments, develop educational training for clinical staff within organization.
• Assist with the orientation of new employees, evaluation of their progress in the orientation process, and development and implementation of a learning plan for improving identified deficiencies.
• Trainer and consultant for Resuscitation Education Initiative (Redi) Program including certification as Basic Life Support (BLS) instructor.
• Monitor and track BLS/Advanced Life Support (ALS) compliance within the organization. Collaborate with interdisciplinary team to support and evaluate responses to emergency responses in the facility to include BLS and ALS.
• Organize, participate, and evaluate mock codes.
• Support nurse residency programs including the development of curriculum utilizing strategic learning methodologies such as simulation, lecture case studies and virtual reality.
• Develop proficient level coaching and mentoring skills.
• Assess, plan, coordinate, implement, and evaluate education and training programs that support safe and effective patient care across the organization.
• Development and implementation of mandatory clinical training, maintaining confidential education records for clinical staff, and providing expert consultation to clinical groups to enhance continuing education activities.
• Manage Nursing Service Orientation and Skills/Resource Fairs, administrator for the Clinical Skills Platform, and utilize multiple educational modalities including interactive, hands-on, and face-to-face experiences to support diverse learner needs.
• Develop education related to health information systems such as CPRS, BCMA, Essentris, and other assigned programs while ensuring compliance with continuing education credit requirements.
• Chair committees assigned to support organizational initiatives and contribute to system-wide efforts that advance patient care outcomes through education.
• Maintain effective collegial relationships within the broader healthcare community and contribute to required data collection and report preparation, including the Annual Education Needs Assessment and the Annual Education Plan.
• Provide cross coverage to support other Nursing Education/Education programs within the facility.
• Demonstrate operational proficiency with audiovisual equipment, prepare learning environments that support presenter and learner needs, participate in committee and task force activities, provide career guidance for nursing staff, and advise staff on scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs and may be assigned role of scholarship coordinator for the facility.
• Assist with activities related to the Pathway to Excellence framework, facilitate staff engagement in practice councils, and promote principles that reinforce professional autonomy and high-quality patient care.
• Facility coordinator for Nursing Recognition programs, including the DAISY Award and BEE Award programs and chairs the Nursing Recognition Committee to ensure consistent recognition processes and meaningful acknowledgment of nursing contributions.
• Other duties as assigned.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards

Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, Day Shift with occasional evening, nights and weekends.

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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/[redacted].

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 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:

• Graduate Level Nursing Degree.
• Five years RN experience.
• Two years RN educator experience within central education unit or three years Unit Education Coordinator experience
• two years as a Chair or Co-chair of a hospital/service wide committee.

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

Physical Requirements: The employee must be able to perform all activities of the position without restriction. This position involves considerable standing, walking, stooping, bending, reaching, lifting and turning. It requires repositioning patients and assisting with transferring patients to wheelchairs/stretchers. Mechanical devices when available are required to be used for heavy or difficult to lift patients. The work may involve pushing or lifting in excess of 50 pounds and going up and down flights of stairs. The position requires visual and auditory acuity at a level to provide safe and effective nursing care. The position requires work for periods of time with arms above shoulder level or with the neck in a fully flexed or extended position and the ability to physically control or protect him/herself from physically abusive patients. May be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be requi