Nursing Education Specialist (83161)

Centurion is proud to be a leading provider of comprehensive healthcare services to correctional facilities, state hospitals, and community mental health centers nationwide.

Position Overview

This position reports to the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) or designee. In collaboration with the CNO, ACNO, clinical operations, regional and site nursing leadership, Human Resources Learning and Development, and other subject matter experts, the Nursing Education Specialist supports the assessment, development, implementation, evaluation, and sustainment of clinical education for correctional healthcare programs. This role focuses on orientation, onboarding, competency management, continuing education, preceptor development, clinical practice standardization, and education related to patient safety, regulatory requirements, evidence-based practice, and contract-specific needs.

The Nursing Education Specialist serves as a clinical education subject matter expert and collaborates with operational leaders to ensure staff are prepared to provide safe, clinically appropriate, contractually compliant, and patient-centered care in correctional environments.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the CNO, Clinical Operations, regional and site nursing leadership, and Learning and Development to assess clinical education needs identified through audits, event reports, clinical reviews, grievances, performance data, regulatory findings, and contract requirements, and to implement responsive education consistently across Centurion programs.
• Collaborates with regional nursing leadership in all Centurion contracts to maintain and enhance clinical orientation, onboarding, competency validation, and ongoing professional development for licensed and unlicensed healthcare staff.
• Interacts proactively with operators, directors, leaders, physicians, nurses, custody partners and other members of the health care delivery team to achieve desired outcomes.
• Supports positive client relationships throughout the organization.
• Designs, develops, coordinates, facilitates, and evaluates clinical education programs that support safe, independent, and competent practice in correctional healthcare settings.
• Applies adult learning principles, evidence-based practice, regulatory/accreditation standards, quality improvement concepts, and patient safety principles in the development and evaluation of education.
• Assists in the development, review, and revision of clinical education materials, skills checklists, competency tools, preceptor resources, staff training modules, and job aids.
• Partners with subject matter experts to develop education related to nursing guidelines, emergency response, medication administration, access to care, infection prevention, suicide prevention, chronic care, infirmary care, documentation, clinical communication, and other priority practice areas.
• Supports preceptor development and mentoring processes to improve new hire integration, clinical practice transition, and retention.
• Assists with implementation of new Centurion/MHM contracts with nursing and clinical education responsibilities, including orientation planning and competency support.
• Collaborates with Human Resources Learning and Development team to align clinical education with organizational learning standards, learning management system requirements, and documentation expectations.
• Assists/provides input specific to contract monitoring tools to verify consistency and continuity with Centurion/MHM policy/standards of practice as well as national standards (NCCHC, ACA).
• Ensures CNO and appropriate clinical operations leaders are apprised of clinical education strengths, gaps, risks, and barriers within specific contracts.
• Participates as needed in the development of model clinical policies and procedures/forms, staff training modules, group curriculum, and communications related to nursing services and clinical practice.
• Facilitates in-person and virtual education, skills validation, train-the-trainer sessions, webinars, and other learning activities as assigned.
• Represents Centurion/MHM at conferences, meetings, and marketing opportunities as requested.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing required.
• Master degree in Nursing, Nursing Education, Healthcare Administration, Education, or related field preferred.
• Active Registered Nurse license required unless otherwise approved based on contract and role scope.
• Minimum of 3 years of clinical nursing experience required. Two to three years of clinical leadership experience preferred.
• Experience in correctional healthcare, emergency care, ambulatory care, behavioral health, public health, or other complex healthcare environments preferred.
• Experience developing, facilitating, and evaluating clinical education, orientation, onboarding, competency programs, or professional development activities preferred.
• Knowledge of adult learning principles, instructional design, competency validation, preceptor development, simulation or skills validation, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and patient safety standards preferred.
• Certification in Nursing Professional Development (NPD-BC) preferred.
• Able to effectively use Microsoft Office, learning management systems, electronic health records, virtual meeting platforms, and related education technology.
• Must be able to pass background investigation and obtain agency security clearance where applicable.
• Completes initial and annual tuberculin screening and tuberculosis skin testing when applicable.
• Maintains active CPR certification and American Heart Association BLS Instructor.
• Ability to travel 50% or more nationally.