Clinical Educator

We have an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Practice Educator role to join our friendly team in Heavitree Day Surgery Unit.

The Practice Educator in a Day Surgery Unit is responsible for supporting, developing, and enhancing the clinical competence of theatre staff to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality perioperative care.

To promote continuous professional development, evidence-based practice, and compliance with regulatory and organisational standards within the operating theatre environment.

Practice educator role is to develop a highly skilled, competent, and confident theatre workforce capable of delivering exceptional patient care within a developing standalone day surgery unit, while fostering a culture of learning, professional growth, and clinical excellence.

We're looking for a motivated and experienced perioperative practitioner with excellent communication, coaching, and leadership skills, who is passionate about developing others and creating a culture of continuous learning and excellence within a standalone day surgery theatre environment.

The successful candidate will be either a HCPC-registered Operating Department Practitioner or an NMC-registered Nurse with substantial experience in operating theatres.

The post holder will be expected to maintain professional competence, participate in continuing professional development, and contribute to the ongoing advancement of perioperative services in accordance with Trust and professional standards.

The successful candidate will be as part of the team within the Day Surgery Unit at Heavitree with the flexibility to support the other Day Surgery Units within the Community (Tiverton, Exmouth) and Wonford theatres if required.

• Lead and coordinate education, training, and competency programmes for theatre practitioners, nurses, ODPs, healthcare support workers, and students.
• Support the induction, orientation, and preceptorship of new staff, ensuring they achieve required competencies for day surgery and operating theatre practice.
• Facilitate learning opportunities in theatres and anaesthetics.
• Assess, monitor, and document staff competencies, maintaining training records and development portfolios.
• Promote evidence-based practice and support the implementation of current national guidelines, policies, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Identify learning and development needs through appraisal processes, clinical observations, audits, and incident reviews.
• Deliver teaching sessions, simulation training, skills workshops, and mandatory training relevant to theatre practice.
• Support students, apprentices, and newly qualified practitioners by providing mentorship, coaching, and constructive feedback.
• Collaborate and work closely with lead education team in Wonford theatres, theatre management team, multidisciplinary teams, educational universities, and external stakeholders to enhance workforce development.
• Contribute to service improvement projects, clinical governance activities, patient safety initiatives, and audit programmes.
• Ensure compliance with professional standards set by the NMC, HCPC, AfPP, and other relevant regulatory bodies.
• Promote a positive learning culture that encourages reflective practice, clinical excellence, and continuous improvement.

-The Heavitree Day Surgery Unit is located on 2 levels. The lower floor (Lower Ground) comprises of the Reception area, 5 Single Rooms, small bay Ward, Theatre 1 and Recovery and pain suite. The upper floor (Ground) comprises Theatres 2&3 and Recovery.

The Royal Devon has secured a £20m investment from NHS England to develop a Centre of Excellence for Day Surgery, which will include two additional theatres for both children…