Job Summary:
The Ambulatory Care Professional Development Consultant is accountable for identifying, planning and implementing training programs and curriculums using an evidence-based approach to promote the ability of staff in delivering high quality, patient centered and cost effective healthcare while maximizing the Scope of Practice for all ambulatory care team members. H/she will serve to optimize the knowledge and skills of team members so that they can competently deliver core nursing services, proficiently support clinicians in managing their practice, and prepare for new models of care delivery or changes in practice. S/he is expected to take the lead in his/her area of clinical expertise (e.g. Adult Medicine, Pediatrics, Case Management, Care Coordination, etc...) and will be expected to drive changes in ambulatory care across the region. The Ambulatory Care Professional Development Consultant will support the Directors of Professional Development, Professional Practice, and Clinical Optimization in providing transformational leadership to achieve performance against national quality benchmarks. Regional redesign work and professional development projects lead by the Ambulatory Care Professional Development Consultant shall be achieved through actively communicating with all key stakeholders; and ensuring training and development projects achieve intended milestones and goals according to defined timelines.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Identifying, planning and implementing training programs and curriculums: Develops and implements a plan of education throughout the region that reflects the NW Regions strategic plan as well as all regulatory, professional and accreditation requirements. Develops and delivers high quality, cost effective educational programs with content that is evidence based, follows standards of care and practice, and is in alignment with Kaiser Permanente policies and procedures. Develops materials, education tactics, and programs that are based on adult learning principles and take into account the novice-to-expert framework of skill development and knowledge acquisition. Implements instructional and curriculum design skills (methodology selected is appropriate for topic etc.) and assists others in instructional design. Coordinates, manages and assures continuum of education from orientation through annual required updates to include continuing education for nursing and unlicensed support staff in Ambulatory Care. Activities to include: scheduling and coaching various presenters/trainers; evaluating presentations; providing feedback to presenters/trainers; and implementing suggestions for improvements of the programs. Analyzes regional educational needs and priorities using a shared decision making model to include key operational care delivery leaders, lead clinicians, labor leaders, and appropriate front line staff. Specific activities include: identification of performance gaps in maintaining standards, work environment factors, standard performance evaluation criteria/processes and effective training strategies to impact and maintain performance outcomes. Researches, designs, and makes recommendations about the purchase of regional competency based curriculum programs/products to improve knowledge, skills and competencies needed by employees to meet new care delivery models and organizational goals. Assists in developing, providing and facilitating department train-the-trainer sessions and providing peer leadership to trainers and other Nursing professional development specialists as appropriate. Delegates, in collaboration with operational care delivery (Program/Service Area Directors, DAs/MMOs), delivery of regional trainings to service area/dept. specific content experts or trainers (e.g. Trainers, RN TLs) when requested or needed at the local/dept. specific area level. Supervises RN trainers, if any, in the delivery of regional training programs. Acts as a role model for professional nursing practice and upholding the KP Nursing vision and strategy. Participates in and leads regional and national committees that have impact on nursing practice or delivery of quality and patient centered care.
- Nursing QI program design and coordination: Works closely with appropriate regional departments such Clinical Optimization, Regional Case Management Services, Regional Advice Services, Resource Management or Quality Resource Management to design and coordinate a Nursing QI program. Activities to include: Development of appropriate performance monitoring tools that will assess and document initial and ongoing maintenance of clinical competencies. Work in partnership with nursing leaders to develop and implement annual competency assessment program. Analyzes data to determine deficits in the competence of individuals or groups. Identifies high risk, problem prone, changed or new equipment/processes that need to be addressed. Refers to regulatory standards, scope and standards of practice, and Kaiser Permanente policies and procedures to identify clear expectations and standards for competency assessment. Consultation with managers, service area/dept. specific nurse educators, and/or preceptors in developing an effective process to implement these tools. Assessment of initial competencies on new hires/transfers attending regional training or orientation programs and provision of recommendations in work plans to improve performance as needed for managers. Coordinates unit specific orientation of new employees, ensuring role expectations, unit-specific competencies are completed. Selects appropriate validation methods to evaluate competence and provides feedback on competency evaluation to the individual and manager. Assessment of competencies on current staff that have been escalated by managers to address performance issues and formulate an improvement/training plan. Revision of tools and processes based on input from managers and front line staff for needed changes.
- Policy, Procedure, and Protocol Development: Coordinates and facilitates the development and revision of Regional nursing policies and procedures and protocols for ambulatory care to meet organizational needs. Activities include: Assisting directors, clinicians, DAs, managers and employees in reviewing, developing and revising nursing policies and procedures and protocols to meet evidence- based clinical or technological changes. Assisting director and managers in the communication and implementation of new and revised policies and procedures to employees. Collaborates with other KP Regions in an effort to standardized processes and share best practices. Collects and collates feedback related to Ambulatory Nursing policies and procedures and protocols including the editing of content based on review outcomes. Development of draft content as needed for review by subject matter experts. Interface with counterparts in other regions regarding utilization and administration of policy and procedure and protocol content. Manage information flow from other KP regions, departments, and organizations into the knowledge base of Ambulatory Nursing/Optimization through a variety of methods. Represents Ambulatory Nursing/Clinical Optimization in meetings and project groups. Maintains awareness of Regional and National Kaiser Permanente efforts which may impact demand and performance in Ambulatory Nursing/Clinical Optimization. Works closely with Directors to develop mitigation strategies.
- Workflow clinical optimization consultant: Serves as the clinical content expert who provides clinical direction and consultation to program managers in the evaluation, redesign, and implementation of Clinical Optimization standardized workflows. Evaluates, drives and implements change management and process improvement activities in order to maximize scope of practice, competencies, and sharing of best practices across Ambulatory Care. Collaborates with other professional development specialist, professional practice experts, QI, and ambulatory leadership to determine learning and infrastructure support needs to implement changes in clinical workflows.
- Maintains and manages projects as assigned.
