The developing role of Clinical Nurse Educators

A new report highlights the significant contribution private hospitals across Australia make towards training and educating the healthcare workforce and suggests there is capacity for them to do much more. This is evidenced by the increasing number of qualified Nurses in training roles, particularly as Clinical Nurse Educators, supporting education and training programmes.

The ‘Education and training in the private hospital sector’ report, a joint project between the Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA) and Catholic Health Australia (CHA), shows the private hospital sector’s investment in training doctors, nurses and allied health workers has increased to $167 million from $30 million a decade ago – a 250 percent increase.

The role of Clinical Nurse Educators has grown in importance with the growth of clinical placement programmes. Many hospitals have evolved to employ their own clinically trained staff to assess, plan and supervise students while on placement. Many have a full-time facilitator for all undergraduate students while on clinical placements. The facilitators are almost 100% of the time hospital employees that are paid by the hospital and reimbursed by the universities, enabling hospitals to provide enhanced career opportunities.

According to the findings of the report private hospitals are committed to training and developing the professionals who work for them, and with them, to provide the highest quality health care to Australians. Good news, because Private hospitals perform 60 percent of all surgeries in Australia and in many specialties the proportion is higher. It makes sense to expose doctors and nurses to the training opportunities private hospitals provide, particularly in relation to advanced surgical training.

With a predicted nursing workforce shortage on the way talks with the Government are ongoing as to how this work can be extended. Clinical Nurse Educators work to enhance the skills and knowledge of Nursing and other Clinical Staff in the clinical hospital environment. Their responsibilities include: The assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of the clinical education needs of staff working within a clinical environment in collaboration with Nursing Unit Managers, Clinical Nurse Consultants and Programme Managers. They ensure that all staff, transient and permanent, have equitable access to educational support and resources to enhance their clinical competence. Their role ensures that evidence based practice principles have been utilised in the development of policies and procedures within the clinical environment and broader organisation, whilst also ensuring that the education delivered is current and based on the best available evidence.

If you are interested in the role of Clinical Nurse Educator we have several positions available. Why not visit our jobs’ page or call us to discuss your CV and the opportunities that may be available to you?