CV/ICU RN EDUCATOR

A Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Recovery Registered Nurse (RN) Educator plays a crucial role in providing specialized education and training to nurses and other healthcare staff within a cardiac intensive care and recovery setting. 

Essential Duties:

• Providing clinical expertise and resources: Acting as a subject matter expert in cardiac care, providing guidance and support to CVICU staff.
• Sharing proper procedural techniques and updates: Ensuring staff are up-to-date on best practices, regulatory compliance, and patient safety standards within the CVICU.
• Managing onboarding and orientation: Welcoming and training new employees and students joining the unit with a focus on education for recovering the post-op cardiac surgery patient.
• Developing educational initiatives: Assessing staff learning needs and creating targeted educational programs to enhance their knowledge and skills.
• Fostering evidence-based practice: Promoting quality improvement and research initiatives to ensure care is based on the latest scientific knowledge.
• Serving as a mentor and consultant: Guiding staff in program development, clinical practice, and professional growth.
• Developing and delivering educational programs: Utilizing various formats (formal and informal) to teach staff, while also managing the learning environment and providing feedback.
• Facilitating changes in policies and procedures: Operating as a positive influence to promote staff understanding and compliance with new practices.

Required Licensure/Education:

• Current RN license in the state of Illinois
• Associate’s Degree in Nursing
• Basic Life Support (BLS) 

Preferred Licensure/Education:

• BSN, or Master's degree in Nursing Education or a related field. 
• Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification. 
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications. 

Required Experience:

• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in CV/ICU

Preferred Experience:

• Experience as an educator or preceptor is desirable. 

Employee Health Requirements

Exposure/Sensory Requirements:

Exposure:

Chemicals: Refer to MSDS sheets

Video Display Terminals: Average

Blood and Body Fluids: Diagnostic composite of patients, frequent contact with intravenous devices, and high potential for contact with contaminated body fluids (blood, stool, vomitus) and administration of blood does create a high risk. use of needleless IV system, universal precautions and protective equipment minimize risk.

TB or Airborne Pathogens: Patient diagnostic presentations do pose high risk; however, usage of protective wear, appropriate size TB mask from fit test and universal precautions reduces risk.

Sensory requirements (speech, vision, smell, hearing, touch):

Speech: Required to communicate with patient/families/staff/doctors, coworkers, ancillary personnel and other department heads. Ability to ask for help. 

Vision: Required to observe patients and their physical assessment, ability to read reports, ability to read machines.

Smell: Helpful to note presence of incontinence, vomitus, blood; electrical/fire safety. 

Hearing: Necessary to hear alarms, calls for help and to hear patient verbalizations; ability to listen for lung, bowel, heart sounds.

Touch: Necessary to assess patients, need to distinguish between hot and cold.

Activity/Lifting Requirements:

Percentage of time during the normal workday the employee is required to:

Sit: 10%

Twist: 4%

Stand: 40%

Crawl: 0%

Walk: 25%

Kneel: 1%

Lift: 10%

Drive: 0%

Squat: 1%

Climb: 1%

Bend: 30%

Reach above shoulders: 3%

The weight required to be lifted each normal workday according to the continuum described below:

Up to 10 lbs: Frequently

Up to 20 lbs: Frequently

Up to 35 lbs: Frequently

Up to 60 lbs: Occasionally

Up to 75 lbs: Not Required

Up to 100 lbs: Not Required

Over 100lbs: Not Required

Describe and explain the lifting and carrying requirements:

Lifting of patients off their beds that are unable to move independently is done with assistive lifting equipment. Horizontal movement of patients to and from carts/beds who are unable to move independently is done with assistive lifting equipment. Lifting equipment - carry 25'- 150' waist high (IV bags, patient trays). Carry charts 25'- 150' waist high. Filled laundry bags are filled half full so as not to weigh over 35 lbs. Carry fire extinguishers up or down 3-4 flights of stairs and several yards in an emergency.

Maximum consecutive time (minutes) during the normal workday for each activity:

Sit: 30

Twist: 15

Stand: 60

Crawl: 0

Walk: 10

Kneel: 0

Lift: 5

Drive: 0

Squat: 2

Climb: 1

Bend: 15

Reach above shoulders: 2

Repetitive use of hands (Frequency indicated): 

Simple grasp 10 lbs. Normal weight <5#.

Pushing & pulling - 50-200 lbs: Occasionally

Fine Manipulation: Typing in computer, medical/supply dispensing cabinet, using pens to chart, drawing up meds in syringe and administration, starting IV's.

Leg Strength: Up to 50 lbs: Occasionally

Repetitive use of foot or feet in operating machine control: utilized in positioning beds during transport; x-ray, surgery or in an emergency situation from floor to floor, locking beds or cardiac chairs.

Environmental Factors and Special Hazards:

Environmental Factors (Time Spent):

Inside hours: 6-40

Outside hours: 0

Temperature: Normal Range

Lighting: Average

Noise levels: Average

Humidity: Normal Range

Atmosphere: Odors 

Special Hazards: Chemical -drugs/work with patients receiving chemotherapy-Explosive-oxygen; Radiation-cesium implants and radioactive iodine therapy direct radiation for radiology equipment; mechanical- use of Hoover lift bed scales, motorized wheelchairs, bathtub lift chair.

Protective Clothing Required: As required for chemotherapy or in cases of isolation, i.e. gloves, gowns, masks, goggles.