| The Clinical Specialist functions within three spheres of impact; the patient/family, clinical nurses/nursing practice, and safety/quality outcomes for patients, families, and staff. Clinical Specialists apply and supervise knowledge of evidence-based practice, research, and quality improvement methodologies to identify opportunities for process and outcome improvement and implement sustainable practice changes. The Clinical Specialist facilitates and supervises nursing professional development by engaging nurses in lifelong learning activities to enhance their professional competence and role performance. Operates in both the learning and practice environment to meet the demands of the practice setting. Leads and supervises the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes to support the provision of safe and high quality care. The Clinical Specialist is accountable for formal and informal staff education, patient/family education, orientation, and initial/annual competencies. Identifies learning needs, develops and implements educational strategies, and evaluates learning effectiveness. Supports and upholds the Hospital Mission, Vision, Values and Guiding Behavior, Patient Bill of Rights, and the Code of Business and Ethical Conduct. | Job Specific Duties | - Functions as a patient advocate and provides family support. Ensures parent education, diagnosis-related discharge planning, and wellness training (parenting skills).
- Develops, coordinates, manages, facilitates, conducts, evaluates and supervises onboarding and orientation programs.
- Coordinates preceptor identification for each new staff member based on careful consideration of learning style, experience, and schedule.
- Tracks, monitors, and supervises new employee progress during orientation period, meets weekly with employee and develops/review incremental goals. Leads biweekly meetings with Horizon Program Leadership for all Horizon Nurse Residents.
- Coaches and counsels new employees when orientation milestones are not achieved and develops remediation plan.
- Identifies the educational needs of clinical staff; designs, develops, coordinates, provides and supervises educational activities through an evidence-based process and develops an annual educational plan.
- Responsible for measuring, documenting, and supporting competency, and for addressing deficiencies in clinical nurse competence.
- Designs educational activities to address practice gaps for identified target audiences to achieve specific outcomes.
- Implements educational programs to enhance staff performance and evaluates educational outcomes.
- Accountable for completion of the annual competency assessment process and plan through collaboration with nurse leaders, Learning & Development Dept, and regulatory leaders.
- Provides guidance on new practices, consulting with experts as appropriate, to design education plans.
- Plans, develops, implements, and evaluates both formal and informal educational and professional development activities; including orientation, staff updates, and ongoing continuing education.
- Applies evidence-based practices to orientation and ongoing education, applying adult learning and education principles.
- Reviews incident reports, implements evidenced-based action plans, and monitors results to drive efficiencies in clinical and operational excellence.
- Provides timely mentoring and coaching to clinical staff supervising the quality of nursing care.
- Leads the supervision and collaborative integration of evidence-based practice into nursing. Identifies gaps in practice and conducts literature reviews to make recommendations for best practice.
- Develops manuscripts for publication and presents at nursing professional conferences.
- Demonstrates effective supervision, knowledge, and application of Quality and Process Improvement principles and methodologies.
- Keeps abreast of changing national standards of clinical practice and safety science literature. Disseminates pertinent safety and specialty related information and contributes to the development and implementation of best practice guidelines .
- Identifies and develops clinical measures related to strategic plan for data collection report outcomes.
- Coordinates and maintains a portfolio of special stories/events to support Magnet and the nursing annual report.
- Leads and supervises clinical practice and quality improvement initiatives.
- Develops criteria for and evaluates the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice at the individual, unit, and system level. Shares and disseminates information within the department & across the institution.
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