Assistant Director for Clinical Education, Nurse Anesthesia Program

Reports to: CRNA Program Director

Position Summary: The primary responsibility of this position is leadership of the clinical portion of the Nurse Anesthesia Program. This includes clinical site development, learner clinical assignments, and clinical evaluation. The position also includes classroom instruction and student advisement.

The Assistant Director for Clinical Education reports to the Program Director and performs the duties of the Program Director in their absence. This position works closely with the Assistant Director for Didactic and Simulation Education so that what learners gain in the classroom and simulation lab carries into clinical practice.

Position Responsibilities

• Assist the Program Director to ensure compliance with the accreditation standards of the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). Hold primary responsibility for standards related to clinical sites and clinical learning.
• Provide assistance with the administrative responsibilities of the program and assume the Program Director role in their absence.
• Develop and maintain clinical sites that provide the case volume and variety required by COA. This includes site recruitment, affiliation agreements, and annual site evaluation.
• Serve as the primary program liaison to clinical partners, including Clinical Site Coordinators and anesthesia department leaders.
• Coordinate learner clinical rotation assignments and schedules across all clinical sites.
• Monitor learner case and clinical hour records to confirm each learner is on track to meet COA graduation requirements.
• Oversee clinical evaluation, including preceptor evaluation of learners and learner evaluation of sites and preceptors.
• Conduct regular clinical site visits to observe learners and support preceptors.
• Orient and develop clinical preceptors and Clinical Site Coordinators.
• Work collaboratively with the Program Director and faculty to identify learners who need clinical remediation. Develop and monitor remediation plans.
• Ensure learners complete clinical onboarding requirements, such as credentialing, immunizations, background checks, and drug screening.
• Work with the Assistant Director for Didactic and Simulation Education so that course content and simulation prepare learners for clinical expectations at each stage of the program.
• Provide instruction in core nurse anesthesia course content, with emphasis on clinical practicum courses.
• Advise learners on clinical progression and professional development.
• Serve as faculty advisor for learner DNP scholarly projects, especially quality improvement projects based at clinical sites.
• Collect and report clinical outcome data for program evaluation and the COA annual report.
• Participate in preparation for the COA accreditation site visit.
• Serve on the Admissions Committee for review and selection of candidates for admission.
• Serve on the Curriculum Committee and contribute to curriculum assessment and revision to meet COA and CCNE curriculum and learner outcome standards.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree (PhD, EdD, or DNP) from an institution of higher education accredited by an agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education at the time the degree was conferred.
• Current unencumbered license, or eligibility for licensure, as a registered nurse and advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) in North Carolina.
• Current certification or recertification as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) from the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).
• Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications.
• Minimum of three years of clinical experience as a CRNA.
• Formal education in curriculum, instruction, and evaluation.
• Experience as a clinical preceptor, clinical instructor, or clinical coordinator for nurse anesthesia learners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing clinical sites or managing clinical affiliation agreements.
• Experience with clinical case tracking systems.
• Teaching and academic administrative experience.
• Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential.