Educating our nurses for a better tomorrow

Northwell Health Nurse Educators inspire and influence the professional role of healthcare professionals every day. Each day the educators are creating nurturing learning environments, improving academic partnerships with nursing schools across the United States, inspiring present and aspiring healthcare professionals through mentorship, and influencing the efforts of improvements in quality and safety in patient care. Find out more about our nurse educators contributions to our successes and the potential opportunities available to Nurse Educators.

Learning environment

Northwell Health Nurse Educators facilitate learning opportunities with high fidelity simulation at the Patient Safety Institute, and learning opportunities at in-patient and out-patient healthcare settings. The learning activities include simulated mock codes, hands-on clinical skills practice sessions, analysis of patient case scenarios with learners, education on interdisciplinary teamwork, practice with communication tools such as TeamSTEPPS, and integrate the humanistic approaches to patient and family care. Northwell Health Nurse Educators coordinate and educate nurses in fellowship programs such as pediatric, emergency department, peri-operative services, labor and delivery, and critical care and work with the nursing students in a summer nursing student externship program. Nurse Educators contribute to over 30,000 contact hours available to nursing staff including conferences with nationally recognized speakers.

“Made for this.. is the motto for our health system, and as a nurse educator, professional development and growth for the team is my primary goal. Through the application of clinical expertise, individuals are driven to improve the care that they provide and ultimately improve the outcomes of our patient’s,” said Ariceles Prince, Critical Care Nurse Educator, Long Island Jewish Valley Stream.

Academic partnership

Northwell Health Nurse Educators work in collaboration with over 50 nursing schools from across the United States. In 2016 Northwell Nurse Educators worked with 5,000+ undergraduate and graduate nursing students. The educators’ efforts include coordinating, assisting, and supporting preceptor placement; academic guidance; and exposing aspiring nurses to the diversities of nursing (eg: flight nursing). Northwell Health Nurse Educators encourage and support over 1800 employees on the nursing academic track (or considering returning to nursing school) or purist of specialty nursing certifications.

Also, Northwell Health has the Northwell Health Hofstra Master of Science -Nurse Practitioner program that started in Fall 2015 consisting of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner track and Family Nurse Practitioner track. (http://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/nursing-physician-assistant)

Mentorship

Northwell Health Nurse Educators provide mentorship from novice through experienced nurses and other healthcare professionals. The mentorship role includes supporting nurses towards or maintaining their clinical ladder status with nurses growing in tents of Education, Research, Quality, Service Excellence, and Leadership. Mentorship continues with participation in the Northwell Health – Mentoring and Professionalism in Training (MAP-IT) program in the development of humanism among healthcare providers including physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

“What I wanted when I entered nursing was to help people. As a Nurse Educator, now I can cast a wider net. If I can teach orientees how to treat people the way they would like to be treated, I’m fulfilling my original goal in a bigger way as a Nurse Educator here at Northwell Health. Being a nurse educator here is so much more than just a job or teaching; it’s an honor,” said Shoba Kanagamani, System Nurse Educator, Institute of Nursing.

Quality and safe patient care

Northwell Health Nurse Educators utilize evidence-based practice and research to guide the practice of quality and safety in patient care and education as evident by quality outcomes.

Northwell nurse educators are leaders and supporters to facilitate the pursuit of continuous quality improvements. Northwell Health’s champion model has supported a 57% reduction in ICU-CAUTI and a 48% reduction in Non-ICU CAUTI since 2014, a 31% decrease in Clostridium difficile (C difficile) since 2014, and a decrease in pressure ulcers by more than 64% since 2012.

Throughout the health system our nurses depend on our educators to help them understand best practices and to help them advance their skill sets. For them, they always have the support they need, and for the educators, they are always excited to help. “Being in this position, and most importantly, in this position at Norwell, I have been able to expand my knowledge each and every day and I continue to follow my dreams while working with a team that I can depend on. Being a Northwell Nurse Educator has truly allowed me to flourish in my profession and has given me the tools I need to keep succeeding. Because of Northwell, I am made for this,” said Melinda Constantine, Assistant Director of Education, Professional Development & Research Operations, Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

Explore our Nurse Educator Opportunities.