Practice Education Coordinator

We acknowledge that Vancouver Community College (VCC) is located on the traditional unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples who have been stewards of this land from time immemorial.

For over 60 years, VCC has been a leader in innovative, experiential post-secondary learning. We’re one of B.C’s top employers and we are proud to inspire students to discover their passions, gain essential skills, and learn what it takes to succeed in a competitive workforce.

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We value lived experience and encourage applications from members of all groups experiencing barriers to equity. Come join the VCC community as we shape the future together.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Dean, School of Health Sciences, the Practice Education Coordinator (PEC) interacts and works collaboratively with the department leaders, faculty, staff, and students within the School of Health, as well as with local and regional Health Authorities and receiving health care agencies. The incumbent is required to collaborate with external agencies and assist in developing partnerships and networks as well as represent the School of Health Sciences. The Practice Education Coordinator supervises the Student Placement Assistant delegating and overseeing work as appropriate. This position works with department leaders, faculty, staff, and students in the School of Health, providing support and advice with clinical placements to help provide excellent, appropriate, and safe clinical practice experiences for students within the School of Health.

The Practice Education Coordinator leads the advancement of Interprofessional Education (IPE) in the School of Health Sciences and works with the department leaders, faculty, and staff to promote IPE activities.

Duties & Responsibilities

Collaborates with SHS departments and outside health care agencies to coordinate safe and appropriate practice education learning experiences that will allow course learning objectives to be achieved.

• Uses HSPnet and HSPnet resources as the main tool to coordinate practice education.
• Maintains active involvement in Nursing Interschool (NIS) association and follows NIS guidelines for placing students in practice education experiences in the Lower Mainland.
• Collaborates with department leaders, team leaders and clinical faculty within VCC and receiving Coordinators from outside agencies to ensure appropriate practice education sites are utilized, providing many opportunities for course learning objectives to be achieved.
• Working in collaboration with the Student Placement Assistant and the SHS department team leaders and assigned faculty, the PEC determines which clinical sites are appropriate and are to be requested through HSPnet following the NIS guidelines.
• Supervises and advises Student Placement Assistant with regards to HSPnet input, clinical site computer access, and medication system access for students and faculty. Assists and troubleshoots, as necessary.
• Facilitates ongoing communication with faculty regarding practice education experiences.

Main point of contact between clinical agencies and the School of Health Science. Disseminates information between the two parties and encourages two-way communication.

• Disseminates all Health Authority and outside agency required information to affected VCC team leaders, faculty, and staff as appropriate and vice versa.
• Attends Program Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings for all SHS departments and provides information regarding the SHS practice education experiences.
• Intervenes and mediates as necessary with practice education problems and issues, with the objective of supporting VCC faculty and maintaining practice education sites and relationships.
• In collaboration with SHS departments and outside agencies, initiates and advises the SHS on student clinical admission requirements following Provincial Practice Education Guidelines (PEG) and current policies within the four major Health regions in the VCC practice education assignment areas (Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Providence Health Care, Fraser Health Authority, and Provincial Health Services Authority).

Collaborates with and provides leadership within the School of Health Science departments to ensure all Provincial Practice Education Guidelines (PEG) for practice education are adhered to and followed by students and faculty.

• Provides information sessions to students and faculty regarding practice education requirements (example: clinical requirements needed such as SPECO, immunization, TB, CRC, fit test, CPR, flu vaccine, Covid vaccine, Violence Prevention Training etc.)
• Works with SHS department leaders, faculty, and staff to ensure all PEG and VCC clinical requirements for both faculty and students are collected, assessable, and stored securely.
• Working with each department in the SHS, the PEC helps create, implement, and maintain new and existing systems for collection and storage of PEG required data for students and faculty.
• Working with the Student Placement Assistant, the PEC collects and securely stores faculty PEG clinical requirements.
• Initiates and works collaboratively with SHS department leaders and the SHS dean in the development of policies and procedures for practice education.
• Collaborates with the VCC Registration Office to ensure practice education admission requirements are requested and collected.

Provides support to School of Health Science departments with practice education issues regarding student and faculty issues.

• Provides introductory overview to new faculty and supports existing faculty in their clinical roles.
• Sits on hiring committees for new clinical faculty.
• Troubleshoots, advises, assists with problem solving, and mediates all practice education placement issues, involving both faculty and outside agencies, as necessary.
• Using an awareness of risk management process, advises on VCC policies and procedures for student practice issues that include involvement of outside agencies and clinical sites.
• Is the main point of contact for clinical incident reports, maintains clinical incident report records, and collaborates with VCC Safety and Security for potential follow up.

Chairs the Interprofessional Education Committee (IPE) and is responsible for leading IPE within the School of Health Sciences.

• Develops, implements, and maintains an IPE framework for the SHS.
• Actively supports the programs to meet IPE accreditation requirements.
• Provides leadership and works with department leaders/faculty to facilitate IPE activities.
• Actively seeks out experiential learning opportunities to support IPE.
• Liaises with faculty/coordinators with IPE responsibilities in other institutions to determine and plan opportunities for cross-institution collaboration relating to IPE.

Supports and is a resource for program curriculum development in practice education courses.

• Sits on the SHS Curriculum Committee.
• Works with SHS departments as a resource with clinical course development.
• Assists with accreditation initiatives regarding practice education.

Special projects as required by the Dean of Health Sciences as related to practice education, student experience, quality improvement and standardizing guidelines/practices across all health programs.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing with current practicing registration in nursing; master’s degree in a health-related field or Education preferred.
• Excellent understanding of nursing education and practice with a minimum 3 years’ experience in nursing education and a minimum 5 years’ experience in nursing practice.

Skills and Abilities

• Good understanding of the health care practice environments where nurses and allied health professionals’ practice.
• Advanced written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to use a variety of computer and web-based software including data management.
• Good working knowledge and experience in facilitating IPE experiences for students.
• Current experience with simulated- based learning an asset.
• Excellent intercultural communication skills with the ability to deal sensitively, professionally, and diplomatically with students, faculty, staff, and external partners.
• Ability to work under pressure both independently and within a team environment, to resolve problems exercising tact and good judgment.
• Ability to take initiative and work proactively to anticipate issues and implement solutions.
• Ability to represent the school and its students effectively to external agencies.
• Excellent time management and work prioritization skills.
• Demonstrate ability to multitask or coordinate numerous projects simultaneously while operating in a demanding environment.
• Strong relational skills required to work with external partners in maintaining current and securing new placements.

Vancouver Community College is committed to maintaining a work force that represents the diverse community we serve and we encourage all qualified applicants.