Registered nurses are called nurse facilitators after they have completed additional education and training to specialize in one area of nursing. These nurses work in healthcare facilities such as hospitals and clinics to coordinate and manage patient care, staff development and quality improvement.
According to the role and organization, the credentials needed for nurse facilitators will vary. Typically, nurse facilitators hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Nursing and have several years of clinical experience in their area of specialization. Some nurses facilitators might also have certifications, like Certified Wound Care Nurse or Certified Diabetes Educator.
Nursing facilitators can be expected to develop and implement educational programs for both patients and staff.
Nurse facilitators should continue to learn and update their knowledge in order to maintain their skills. These activities could include participating in seminars and conferences, learning from professional journals, taking part in online learning modules and networking with others in the field.
The American Nurses Association, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses could all be professional associations that nursing facilitators belong to. To stay up-to-date with current research in the field, nurses facilitators can read journals like the Journal of Nursing Administration and the Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing.
In general, nurse facilitators have a significant role to play in improving patients’ outcomes and increasing the quality of care within healthcare facilities. They can keep up-to-date with new developments and offer guidance and leadership to colleagues through professional memberships and ongoing professional learning.