Salary: up to $110,000.00 / year Overview:
RN Educator – Clinical Education and Practice
Elderwood at Cheektowaga | Cheektowaga, NY
Full-time | Onsite | Clinical schedule flexibility required
Annual salary up to $110,000
Elderwood at Cheektowaga is seeking an experienced Registered Nurse who can combine clinical education with active nursing practice.
This is not a classroom-only Educator position. You will lead orientation, competency development, clinical education, and employee mentorship while remaining connected to resident care by working scheduled or operationally necessary shifts as a cart nurse.
We believe that clinical connection strengthens nursing education. By practicing alongside the employees you support, you will understand their workflows, recognize real-time learning needs, model strong nursing practice, and provide coaching grounded in the realities of the unit.
The right candidate will enjoy developing nurses and CNAs - but will also be comfortable administering medications and treatments, managing a resident assignment, documenting care, communicating changes in condition, and supporting the nursing team when direct-care coverage is needed.
The RN Educator position combines two essential responsibilities:
You will lead new-hire orientation, clinical education, competency validation, nurse-preceptor development, mandatory in-services, BLS and IV-certification programs, electronic-medical-record support, and Nursing Assistant Training Program activities when applicable.
You will maintain an active clinical presence by accepting cart-nurse assignments as part of the position. During direct-care shifts, you will be responsible for the nursing care associated with your assignment, including medication and treatment administration, assessment and monitoring, documentation, change-in-condition communication, care coordination, and CNA support.
This blended structure allows you to:
Maintain your bedside and medication-administration skills
Understand current unit workflows and operational challenges
Identify education needs through direct experience and observation
Coach nurses and CNAs in the environment where care occurs
Model the documentation, communication, and clinical standards you teach
Build credibility and trust with frontline employees
Remain connected to residents, families, and the interdisciplinary team
This opportunity is best suited for an RN who believes the strongest educators remain connected to clinical practice.
Elderwood at Cheektowaga is a 172-bed skilled nursing community providing long-term care, memory care, and comprehensive subacute rehabilitation.
Our clinical teams care for long-term residents and short-stay patients transitioning from hospital to home following illness, injury, surgery, orthopedic procedures, and cardiac conditions. Facility capabilities include:
IV therapy
PICC-line management
Wound-vac therapy
Complex wound care
Ostomy care
Enteral feeding
Dialysis coordination
This clinical variety gives the RN Educator an opportunity to develop relevant, practice-based education. You will help ensure that nurses and CNAs understand not only how to complete a skill, but also how to recognize risk, respond to changes in condition, communicate effectively, document accurately, and connect their work to resident outcomes.
The RN Educator serves as a primary clinical education resource for the facility - but does not work in isolation. You will partner with the Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing, Unit Managers, RN Supervisors, Nurse Preceptors, and department leaders to identify learning needs and strengthen clinical practice.
You will also collaborate with the assigned Regional Nurse Consultant and other Elderwood clinical resources on competency development, organizational initiatives, regulatory readiness, and clinical standards. This structure allows you to respond to the needs of the Cheektowaga team while drawing upon the experience and resources of a larger clinical organization.
The RN Educator role provides a strong pathway into broader clinical and nursing leadership. You will gain experience influencing facility-wide practice, coaching employees, partnering with operational and clinical leaders, supporting regulatory readiness, and translating quality priorities into frontline education.
Registered Nurses who demonstrate strong performance, leadership potential, and an interest in future Director of Nursing opportunities may be considered for advanced development experiences, including Widener University’s Director of Nursing Leadership Academy.
Designed for current and aspiring DONs, the 12-week academy combines online learning, leadership coaching, faculty mentorship, and applied workshops addressing communication, decision-making, team development, retention, financial fundamentals, strategic planning, and change management.
Elderwood at Cheektowaga offers a convenient clinical-education opportunity for nurses throughout Cheektowaga, West Seneca, Depew, Lancaster, Sloan, South Buffalo, and Buffalo’s eastern neighborhoods.
Located near I-90 and accessible from Route 33 and other major local corridors, the facility may also be within a practical commute of Lackawanna, Williamsville, Amherst, Clarence, Elma, Alden, Orchard Park, and surrounding Erie County communities.
The strongest clinical teams are built through clear expectations, practical education, thoughtful mentorship, visible leadership, and consistent follow-through.
If you are an experienced RN who enjoys teaching and developing others - but still values direct resident care and wants to remain clinically active - this may be the right opportunity for you. Apply today to become the RN Educator at Elderwood at Cheektowaga.
Responsibilities:
What You’ll Lead as a RN Educator of Clinical Education and Practice
Plan and coordinate general orientation with support from facility department leaders
Lead licensed-nurse, CNA, and Support Aide orientation based on hiring needs
Partner with Unit Managers and Nurse Preceptors to strengthen department-based orientation
Provide education, coaching, and follow-up to help new nurses transition successfully into practice
Evaluate orientation effectiveness and identify employees who need additional education or support
Plan, deliver, and evaluate nursing education based on clinical needs, quality priorities, regulatory requirements, and identified competency gaps
Coordinate annual and ongoing clinical-skills competency testing for licensed nurses
Collaborate with Unit Managers, Nurse Preceptors, and the Regional Nurse Consultant on employee development
Schedule and lead IV-certification programming based on facility needs
Coordinate and teach BLS-certification programming and maintain required equipment and records
Serve as a clinical resource for nurses who need guidance or reinforcement
Develop education related to new clinical practices, procedures, equipment, policies, and resident-care needs
Reinforce strong assessment, change-in-condition response, documentation, infection prevention, medication safety, and interdisciplinary communication
Coordinate CNA and Support Aide orientation programs
Serve as a primary instructor for the Nursing Assistant Training Program when applicable
Coordinate program implementation, required documentation, and testing activities
Assist with Prometric testing coordination for Nursing Assistant Trainees when applicable
Ensure Nursing Assistants receive required in-service education
Support CNA development through practical education, coaching, and reinforcement of care standards
Accept cart-nurse assignments as scheduled or needed based on facility operations and resident-care priorities
Manage the nursing care and clinical responsibilities associated with the assigned resident group
Administer medications and treatments safely and accurately
Assess and monitor residents and respond appropriately to changes in condition
Communicate clinical changes to providers, nursing leaders, residents, and families
Complete timely and accurate clinical documentation
Direct, support, and assist CNAs during the assigned shift
Model expected clinical, communication, documentation, and infection-prevention practices
Use direct-care experiences to identify opportunities for education, employee development, and workflow improvement
Coordinate delivery of mandatory corporate and facility in-service education
Maintain the monthly education calendar and required reports
Enroll employees in Learning Management System programs
Track module completion, competency documentation, certification status, and required education hours
Follow up with employees and leaders regarding incomplete education requirements
Serve as a clinical super user for the electronic medical record and help employees use the system accurately
Perform employee vaccinations, health screenings, and assigned medical testing
Coordinate emergency-preparedness exercises, including fire, disaster, and Code Blue drills
Maintain required education, drill, screening, and competency records
Support facility readiness for surveys, audits, emergencies, and clinical-quality reviews
Qualifications:
What You’ll Need as RN Educator of Clinical Education and Practice
Current license and registration to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse in New York State
At least one year of experience in a long-term healthcare facility
Experience providing in-service education or demonstrated skill in clinical teaching
Current clinical confidence in medication administration, treatments, assessment, documentation, and change-in-condition management
Willingness and ability to accept a resident assignment and work as a cart nurse when scheduled or operationally necessary
Ability to teach, coach, mentor, and communicate effectively with employees at different experience levels
Ability to work cooperatively with frontline employees, preceptors, managers, department leaders, and senior facility leadership
Strong verbal, written, organizational, and documentation skills
Ability to manage education, orientation, competency, compliance, and direct-care responsibilities
Ability to use electronic medical records, learning-management systems, and standard computer applications
Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English at the level necessary for safe care and effective workplace communication
Bachelor of Science in Nursing or another relevant baccalaureate degree
Previous RN Educator, Staff Development Coordinator, Nurse Educator, preceptor, RN Supervisor, Unit Manager, or clinical-instructor experience
Skilled nursing, subacute rehabilitation, or geriatric nursing experience
Experience developing nursing competencies or supporting regulatory surveys
Experience with IV therapy, wound care, enteral feeding, post-acute care, or other complex nursing services
Experience supporting CNA training or Nursing Assistant Training Programs
Experience as an electronic-medical-record super user
EOE Statement: WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. Applicants and employees are considered for positions and are evaluated without regard to mental or physical disability, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or any other protected Federal, State/Province or Local status unrelated to the performance of the work involved.
