Director of Clinical Education

DES MOINES, IAFull-timePosted Jul 24, 2026

Employment Type:

Full time

Shift:

Day Shift

Description:

POSITION PURPOSE

Provides leadership, accountability and responsibility for Clinical Development and Nursing Evidence-based practice for MercyOne Medical Center, MercyOne West Des Moines, Centerville and Newton.  Oversees programs and processes related to nursing practice and education, including, but not limited to, nursing protocols and procedures, nursing competency assessment, nursing orientation, nurse residency program, patient care associate cohort, and nursing education needs assessment.  Operational responsibilities include budgeting, strategic planning, patient care management and integration and achieve organizational goals.  Acts as a role model and change agent by initiating and accepting changes for improved patient care and cost reductions. Maintains active communication and collaborates with senior leadership, physicians, leaders, and staff to meet specialty, departmental and organizational goals.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

 

Knows, understands, incorporates, and demonstrates the Trinity Health Mission, Vision, and Values in behaviors, practices, and decisions.  

 

Demonstrates leadership, collaboration, critical thinking, and teamwork when facilitating clinical standard and operational decisions and resolving issues.  Demonstrates leadership competencies of team building, vision creation, and influence. Incorporates change leadership strategies through building a compelling vision, understanding the perspectives of the stakeholders, identification for tactics to elicit commitment and address resistance. 

 

Utilizes data to identify opportunities for clinical variation, understands graphical representations of data, and applies project-oriented expertise in identifying leading and lagging metrics for implementation effectiveness, and data plans. Demonstrates data-driven approach for project prioritization and strategies. 

 

Improves the quality and effectiveness of the ministry's overall health care initiatives by providing leadership and operational direction.  

 

Collaborates and partners with other leaders for strategic planning, decision-making, and problem solving about health care services and organizational priorities. 

 

Develops resource utilization strategies to improve organizational performance. Strategies reflect the changing societal and health care environments and the economic climate. 

 

Advocates for clinical and business innovations that address needs, policy changes, workforce management, education which align with the organizational strategy and national priorities. 

 

Maintains a working knowledge of applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, including The Joint Commission, Trinity Health’s Organizational Integrity Program, Standards of Conduct, as well as other policies and procedures in order to ensure adherence in a manner that reflects honest, ethical, and professional behavior. 

 

Develops an annual operational plan (including scope of service) in conjunction with the Chief Nursing Officer to integrate with MercyOne’s strategic plan and other related departments’ operational plans in order to efficiently provide services. 

 

Develops, implements and periodically reviews all policies and procedures that guide and support the assigned services including federal and state regulations, regulatory standards, etc. 

 

Continuously assesses and improves the department’s performance based on, but not limited to, nursing quality plans outcomes and customer/employee satisfaction data. 

 

Develops and maintains departmental staffing plan for all departments supervised, detailing appropriate employee classifications and qualifications consistent with the department’s operational plan, projected volumes, and other relevant productivity indicators.  Participates in human resource planning providing recommendations for staffing, proactive recruitment and long-term needs.  Ensures compliance with staffing plan for nursing education. 

 

Manages Nursing Education Specialists, Unit Educators, and other designated employees. Includes interviewing, hiring, scheduling, performance evaluation, discipline, and professional development oversight. 

 

Develops annual operating and capital budgets, monitors and analyzes performance and productivity and implements necessary corrective plans.  Collaborates with other departments in budget preparation, determining capital priorities, monitoring and analyzing trends.  Utilizes budget information in management decision-making. 

 

Is knowledgeable and remains current in standards of treatment.  Integrates new practice standards with education and written standards. 

 

Collects, monitors, and interprets data to improve systems that will measure and document outcomes of service, financial, and student satisfaction.  Uses national benchmarks for comparative measurements. 

 

Participates in marketing strategies to promote nurse recruitment and retention. 

 

Assist nursing leadership with the recruitment and retention activities of nursing professionals. 

 

Develops, implements and periodically reviews all policies and procedures that guide and support the assigned services. These include, but are not limited to, TJC requirements, federal and state regulations, regulatory standards, including safety policies and practices. 

 

Responsible for development, review, revision, and tracking of nursing protocols and procedures. Contributes to review and revision of nursing policies in conjunction with the Chief Nursing Officer. 

 

Responsible for developing and maintaining strong academic partnership relations. 

 

Promotes evidence-based practice (EBP) and research utilization in development and implementation of policies and procedures.   

 

Familiar with regulatory standards and Iowa Nurse Practice Act and incorporates standards into nursing policies, protocols and procedures.   

 

Provides oversight to the Nursing Orientation Program, Nurse Residency Program, Patient Care Assistant Cohort, Nursing Students and other educational and professional development programs.    

 

Develops and conducts nursing educational programs; oversees training for nursing personnel related to new products/equipment, performance improvement initiatives, or regulatory requirements. 

 

Serves as a resource on electronic EBP resources. 

 

Participates in national committees and work groups related to nursing EBP and education as assigned. 

 

Works closely with Clinical Informaticists to align EBP with documentation. Reviews and revises nursing documentation policies.  

 

Maintains open and positive communication with senior leadership, staff, physicians, other hospital leaders and local nursing college leaders 

 

Leads and facilitates shared governance committees and work groups. 

 

Remains current in legislative and regulatory changes, participating and providing leadership in creating changes to improve the health of the community.  

 

Knowledgeable and current in nursing standards of treatment. Integrates new practice standards with education and written standards. Mentors and coaches leadership and staff through change. 

 

Participates in disaster response as assigned. 

 

Identifies opportunities for improvement, problem solving skills and implementation of performance improvement.  

 

Provides overall leadership annually in developing department goals consistent with the organization’s strategic plans. 

 

Improves the health of the community through education of individual patients and/or programs.   

 

Aligns nursing education across the market. 

 

Determine strategy to standardize clinical performance across the market based on Ana standards. 

 

Implement new care models utilizing digital technology. 

 

Participates in national professional related organizations to ensure current knowledge. 

 

Conducts interviews with prospective employees; works with Human Resources in hiring new personnel. 

 

Performs other responsibilities as requested by the Chief Nursing Officer. 

 

 

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES     

 

As a MercyOne Trinity Health Leader, the incumbent is expected to demonstrate leadership traits which support our Mission Statement and Core Values as identified below:  

 

Mission Statement:  We, MercyOne Trinity Health, serve together in the spirit of the Gospel as a compassionate and transforming healing presence within our communities. 

 

Core Values: 

 

  • Reverence:  We honor the sacredness and dignity of every person. 

 

  • Commitment to Those who are Poor:  We stand with and serve those who are poor, especially those most vulnerable. 

 

  • Safety: We embrace a culture that prevents harm and nurtures a healing, safe environment for all.  

 

  • Justice:  We foster right relationships to promote the common good, including sustainability of Earth. 

 

  • Stewardship:  We honor our heritage and hold ourselves accountable for the human, financial and natural resources entrusted to our care. 

 

  • Integrity: We are faithful to those we say we are. 

 

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

 

Possession of a current or compact state license as a registered nurse issued/defined by the State of Iowa.   

Bachelor’s degree in nursing required.   

Master’s degree in nursing education or leadership required. 

Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC™) or Certification for Nurse Educators (CNE) certification required within 6 months in this role. 

BLS and ACLS certification required.   

Proof of completion of Iowa’s Mandatory reporter abuse training specific to population served with three (3) months of hire.  

1 year nursing education leadership experience required. 

3 years nursing education experience required. 

Must possess excellent verbal and written communications skills, presentation skills, advanced analytical skills, be well organized and maintain a highly professional manner and appearance. 

Strong interpersonal, consultative and relationship building skills in order to initiate and develop productive collaborative partnership with all levels of leadership across the organization.  Ability to effectively influence results, garner support and tactfully manage complex relationships within and across the organization.  Extremely high level of diplomacy and tact are required.  Ability to read the subtle nuances of situation and react/plan accordingly. 

Must be comfortable operating in a collaborative, shared leadership environment.  

Must possess a personal presence that is characterized by a sense of honesty, integrity, and caring with the ability to inspire and motivate others to promote the philosophy, mission, vision, goals, and values of Trinity Health.  

Our Commitment

Rooted in our Mission and Core Values, we honor the dignity of every person and recognize the unique perspectives, experiences, and talents each colleague brings. By finding common ground and embracing our differences, we grow stronger together and deliver more compassionate, person-centered care. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.

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