Nurse Anesthetist - Education Coordinator

Description:

Open to current New Mexico VA Health Care System Internal Facility employees only!

The Anesthesiology Service of the New Mexico VA Health Care System is seeking qualified applicants for the position of a Nurse Anesthetist (Education Coordinator).

Requirements:

Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) Basic Requirements

• Education: A post-master's certificate or master's or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Must be a 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 ).
  • NOTE: Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing programs, the nurse practitioner degree equivalency must be validated through an Agency recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency, such as the International Consultants of Delaware ( ICD ). Candidates with equivalent nurse practitioner masters or doctorate level degrees who possess current, full, active, and unrestricted registration and certification will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment.
• License and Certification:
  • License. All APN (NPs) must possess and maintain an active, current, full, and unrestricted APN license to practice as an NP in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
  • Basic Certification. All APN (NPs) must maintain full and current board certification in an area of clinical specialty from one of the following: the American Nurses Credentialing Center ( ANCC ), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board ( AANPCB ), or other nationally recognized certifying body in the area in which the Nurse Practitioner is academically prepared.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (NP) assignment that are also 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 IV:

Approximately 5 years of progressively responsible leadership assignments in clinical, administrative, educational and/or research related to nurse anesthesia practice.

• The CRNA Educator-Coordinator coordinates an education program, Phase I (non-clinical) and/or Phase II (clinical), for nurse anesthesia students or health care trainees who rotate through the VA Healthcare System.
• Assignment to the Educator-Coordinator role must represent a significant commitment to the education of students, beyond the occasional preceptorship. The Educator-Coordinator must also demonstrate a commitment to in-service training for staff, and facility continuing education in order to provide accurate information to the population serviced.
• The Educator-Coordinator must have administrative and technical responsibility for maintaining professional standards of practice in accordance with the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). This may include development of the orientation programs for the students, journal club, scheduling, counseling and grading students, monitoring cases, assisting with research projects, coordinating with didactic instructors and clinical anesthesia staff for student progress.
• The Educator-Coordinator must also assist and provide development opportunities for primary clinical instructors and other department members to maintain their skills and keep current with progressive technical knowledge.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.

• Ability to serve as interdepartmental liaison, interfacing with other departments such as nursing, surgery, PACU, outpatient surgery, admissions, administration, laboratory, pharmacy, etc., in order to incorporate the expertise of all disciplines in a comprehensive, integrated approach to care.
• Knowledge to provide advice and assistance to other nurse anesthetists in unusually difficult or complex cases.
• Ability to perform clinical and didactic teaching, commitment to in-service training for staff, and facility continuing education in order to provide accurate information to population serviced.
• Ability to provide feedback to students, faculty and the Program Director in a timely fashion.
• Skills for the development, implementation, evaluation and on-going updating of the clinical curriculum and evaluation.
• Ability to administer, evaluate and provide sound statistical research, which may promote clinical and didactic evolution and expertise in the field of anesthesia.
• Knowledge to implement educational strategies to meet changes, clinically, academically, and professionally, related to nurse anesthesia.
• May chair or co-chair graduate level research in order to assist students in researching, reviewing/approving research proposal and finished product.
• Ability to facilitate communication between students, faculty, and other site coordinators to oversee/manage the clinical education of students.

Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 lbs. and over); Heavy carrying (45 lbs. and over); Straight pulling and pushing; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking and standing up to 8 hours; repeated bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; hearing aid permitted.