Job description:

The Ghana College of Nursing and Midwives (GCNM) has a mandate to provide specialist education in the levels of full time, three years, Specialist programmes and full time, one year, Associate programmes. The Clinical Educator creates a leadership role to provide clinical education and evaluation to paediatric Residents and facilitate evidence-based research within this specialized area of nursing and midwifery.
The clinical educator will collaborates, support and works with GCNM faculty members for the clinical skills development of residents within the specialty area, while ensuring adherence to quality and optimal practice standards, policies, procedures and guidelines.

Job Title: Clinical Nurse Educators, Full time
Specialist Area: Paediatrics
Classification: Technical Person
Reports to: Faculty/Clinical Coordinator

Knowledge, skills and abilities required:

•   Ability to work 45 hours per week based upon your personal scheduling needs
•   Possibility for alternative scheduling – evenings shifts and weekends
•   Ability to plan, implement and evaluate individual patient care programs.
•   Ability to provide operational guidance and leadership to technical staff in area of specialty
•   Ability to assess educational needs and support to design curricula to address those needs
•   Professional and Technical leadership skills within paediatrics and newborn practice
•   Advanced nursing or midwifery skills in paediatrics and newborn care
•   Highly developed verbal and written communication skills and the ability to present effectively to small and large groups
•   Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively at all levels in a collaborative team environment
•   Thorough knowledge and understanding of clinical protocol, procedures, and standards within paediatrics and newborn care
•   Knowledge of related accreditation and certification requirements
•   Continuous professional development opportunities provided by the College

Duties and Responsibilities:

•   Prepares patient assignment prior to student arrival on the nursing ward, reflective of the student level of expertise
•   Orients Residents and Associates to clinical department/unit within specialty area
•   Serves as a host, teacher and role model and mentor at clinical site
•   Assists and assesses the Residents’ preparation for their clinical activities
•   Encourages an inquiry, theory and evidence based approach to paediatric nursing practice
•   Assists in meeting and modifying clinical learning objectives as needed
•   Reviews objectives for clinical experience and determine approaches of meeting them
•   Selects with learners’ clinical experiences appropriate to objectives
•   Provides educational leadership to enhance specialized patient care within established clinical protocols and guidelines
•   Assists with educational needs, problem resolution, and health management of patients and care givers within their area of expertise
•   Collaborates with faculty members, medical specialists, other patient care staff, and unit management in the planning, implementation, and delivery of educational curricula
•   Initiates clinical skills development among Residents within the parameters of established specialty specific standards
•   Monitors trends and implements educational strategies to ensure compliance with quality standards and parameters
•   Assists Residents in providing direct specialized nursing or midwifery services for children and newborns with complex and uncommon diagnosis applying nursing/midwifery protocols and assist in the performance of all related nursing duties.
•   Intervenes where appropriate to manage situations beyond the learners’ ability
•   Educates Residents and Associates and other technical and patient care staff in the use of new equipment, supplies, and instruments
•   Coordinates clinical education and training for assigned learners
•   Ensures proper care in the use and maintenance of equipment and supplies
•   Promotes continuous improvement of workplace safety and environmental practices
•   Organizes weekly clinical conferences within paediatrics and newborn care and foster discussion and debates about clinical learning among Residents
•   Demonstrates leadership skills in problem solving, decision making, priority setting, delegation of responsibility and accountability
•   Provides learners with ongoing verbal feedback and written final evaluation on progress, based on clinical educator’s observation of clinical performance, assessment of achievement of clinical competencies and patient care documentation and give direction and time for improvement
•   Participates regularly in specialty related CPDs to ensure optimal performance
•   Collaborates and provide community outreach programmes for Residents
•   Provides educational leadership to enhance paediatrics and newborn care within established clinical protocols and guidelines
•   Empowers Residents to be able to identify ineffective systems and processes internally and externally that affect quality child health care delivery and utilize quality improvement approaches to facilitate systems and process change
•   Facilitates professional socialization into the specialized role
•   Facilitatesinterpersonal communication among students and all members of the health team

Communication and Working relationships:

•   Cooperates and collaborates effectively with all health professionals at clinical sites to ensure a good working relationship between them and the Residents
•   Works with other health facility staff to respond to major incident events/mass casualty incident.
•   Participates actively in clinical/academic meetings and audits.
•   Punctual, accessible and available for consultation at all times.
•   Contributes actively to professional meetings and scientific conferences.

Personal and People Development:

•   Develops and maintains continuing personal and professional development to meet the changing demands in the area of nursing and midwifery services
•   Monitors own performance against agreed objectives and standards
•   Keeps up to date on job related issues as appropriate
•   Plays active role in the orientation of new staff
•   Assist with continuous professional education of clinical staff
•   Takes responsibility to ensure personal professional development plans are agreed with Vice President of Division
•   Provides leadership and mentorship for post registration Specialist nurses and midwives, Associates and Residents
•   Contributes to the promotion and support of the development and provision of specialty related health learning materials for academic and clinical competency-building
•   Maintains a stable and enthusiastic clinical learning environment

Management:

•   Prepares and submits periodic reports on specialty coordination activities
•   Devises improved methods for increasing efficiency in competency-based learning
•   Advises and utilizes nursing or midwifery process and clinical skills to extend competencies of residents and Associates
•   Promotes a positive image of the nursing and midwifery professions

Research:

•   Participates in research as defined by the GCNM Academic Board

Health and Safety Responsibilities:

•   Ensures and comply with existing health and safety policies and procedures of the MOH/GHS
•   Ensures clients/patients, staff safety and that of personal safety
•   Observes the Universal Precaution for infection prevention and control

Quality Assurance:

•   Advocates for and promotes the quality of nursing and midwifery practices in clinical settings and among Residents
•   Institutionalize quality assurance systems on clinical interactions
•   Ensures that staffs comply with the MOH/GHS quality assurance policy and guidelines
•   Continuously monitor activities that militate against quality standards; and report for action
•   Acts as a role model in quality improvement activities.

Professional Representation:

The Clinical Coordinators must at all times:

•   Works in accordance with the GHS Code of Ethics and strictly adhere to the provisions of the Patient’s Charter and Disciplinary Procedures of the Nursing and Midwifery Council
•   Works in accordance with the Professional Code of Ethics and Disciplinary Procedures
•   Participate in National Health Programmes

This job description is intended as a guide to the principal duties and responsibilities for the post and should not be considered an exhaustive list. It is subject to change in line with future development of the service

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Holds a Bachelor's degree in Nursing or Midwifery
•   A Clinical nurse/midwife with specialized skills in Paediatrics and Newborn Care
•   At least 5 years of work experience that can be demonstrated to be applicable to the duties listed in the job description
•   Have interest in clinical teaching and working with Residents and Associates
•   Must be of good standing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana.
•   Previous experience in clinical instructing or as a preceptor is an added advantage.

Experience

•   Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team environment
•   Supervisory/team leader experience
•   Experience of managing and organizing own workload and that of the Department/facility/faculty
•   Experience in planning and implementation of service developments.
•   Working experience in a wide range of areas in health services.
•   Involvement in national health policy development
•   Research experience

Knowledge    

•   Knowledge of Patient Charter
•   Knowledge of Health and Safety issues
•   Knowledge and understanding of quality assurance issues in clinical care
•   Knowledge of relevant clinical, nursing/midwifery protocols
•   Knowledge of Risk Assessment
•   Understand the nursing/midwifery process

Skills and Abilities  

•   Organizational skills
•   Planning and supervisory skills
•   Potential for leadership
•   Report writing and presentation skills
•   Excellent Verbal communication skills
•   Excellent interpersonal skills
•   Analytical and problem solving skills
•   Ability to demonstrate and participate in effective team work
•   Ability to relate to people from different backgrounds
•   Working knowledge in computer application
•   Ability to manage under pressure
•   Ability to use own initiative

Personal Attributes    

•   Competent, adaptable, imaginative, innovative, enthusiastic, self aware, team player and a sense of humour
•   Self control

Other requirements    

•   Work to deadline
•   Results Oriented

Salary: Attractive

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

All Applications and other relevant documents must be submitted via email:

recruitments@gcnm.edu.gh

Closing Date: 4 March, 2016