Donation and Family Advocate Educator

About the Team:

 We are looking for dedicated individuals, excited to be a part of our culture! Donor Network of Arizona’s mission is to make the most of life through the gift of organ and tissue donation. We challenge ourselves and others every day to realize Arizona’s potential to save and improve lives. Every employee at Donor Network of Arizona is responsible for embracing the organizational culture by upholding the Donor Network of Arizona’s core values of Positive Energy, Passion, and Eagerness

We Offer: 

Competitive Salary- $75,659-$94,574 annually
Organizational Incentive Program Annually, up to 10% (7% at target)*
Very Generous Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
Paid Life Insurance and LTD Insurance
Voluntary Life Insurance options
403b employer match and profit sharing
Generous Tuition Assistance Program
Employee Assistance Program
Employee Wellness Program
Tobacco Free Workplace
Amazing culture:
Awarded Top Companies to Work for in Arizona for 2022, 2023, and 2024

About the Donation and Family Advocate Educator:

Donation happens due to the generosity of individuals and families making a decision to authorize donation. A donation conversation is at the forefront of helping families understand their loved one’s decision to designate being a donor or the option for them to be a donor with the family’s decision to authorize donation.
The purpose of the Donation and Family Advocate (DFA) Educator position is to ensure that staff are prepared at the highest level for each donation conversation and situation. This position helps enable the Donation and Family Advocates in engaging individuals and families in safe, meaningful and value-based conversations that help overcome the negative emotions, offering the best opportunity for families to embrace donation in honor of their loved one—whether through first-person authorization or a family decision.

The DFA Educator is a thought-leader and responsible for staying current with regulatory changes, frameworks, best practices, research, and a broad range of information related to family readiness approach, communication and other topics that impact donation decision-making. This includes the latest scientific research and developments in the behavioral sciences, particularly regarding engagement with individuals and families in “emotionally hot states” and crisis situations. The DFA Educator is a content expert on Polyvagal Theory and its impact and implications upon all donation conversations. Additionally, the DFA Educator is an expert in non-verbal communication as part of Polyvagal Theory, helping to create a safe environment for conversations. Lastly, the DFA Educator is a content expert in language, using language at its most powerful and evocative level to invite others to consider donation at the deepest level.  Discussion of the donation process using sensitive language is the last piece but essential to not undermine everything that came before it.

The DFA Educator will also stay current on best models of teaching, learning and coaching/mentoring. The DFA Educator works with each individual at their own skill level and also conducts regular group education so that the foundations for safe, meaningful and value-based conversations can be established throughout the DFA staff as common ground for Donor Network of Arizona.
The DFA Educator works closely and seamlessly with the director, managers and supervisors of Donor Family and Advocate Services to understand their needs and direction for their staff and to move in a consonant direction of their vision for their staff.  The DFA Educator is also expected to offer insight and feedback about the growth and development of the individual DFAs as is valuable to the director and managers.

The DFA Educator also serves as a resource to Donor Network staff and hospital partners to enhance understanding of the importance of the donation conversation as well as the process leading up to it.

Position Responsibilities:

In collaboration with leadership, develops and implements training for new and current staff performing the essential job functions of donor family conversations for donation advocacy, authorization, donor screening, and/or donor family support.

Develops and presents training to staff, ensuring training materials align with current policy and, practices.
Provides on-site training, skill development, simulations, and assessments both individually and in groups.
Develops and maintains records of training activities and employee progress. Ensures training records and files are current.
Schedules and conducts regular coaching and debriefing sessions with trainee, including preceptor and department leadership as appropriate, to identify strengths/weaknesses, review achievement/no achievement of training objectives, identify future training goals and document trainee’s case experiences.
Provides written evaluation of trainee’s progress. In conjunction with the trainee’s department leadership, determines when a trainee can be signed off for independent practice.
Develops and executes annual competency assessment plan to ensure all staff demonstrate acceptable levels of competency for their positions.
Educates and provides performance support on related topics such as:
Self-awareness and mindfulness for staff preparation before entering into the conversation
Polyvagal Theory and its implications and upon donation conversations.
The importance of non-verbal communication to provide first level of safety in conversations with families upon first engagement.
Family psychological safety through predictability, familiarity, sense of control, providing Support, and giving them a voice.
The power of their language throughout the donation conversation and throughout the case.
DeGarmo interaction and driver profiles and optimizing for donation.
The Dual Advocacy role of the DFA
Guides DFAs in developing their full potential, teaches relevant skills and provides encouragement.
Assists DFAs to discover and overcome their personal barriers and set goals for their development and growth.

Periodically shadows DFAs in the field, both for evaluative purposes and to stay connected to the work.

Coordinates Donor Family Conversation Preceptor program and works closely with the staff DFAs who are acting as preceptors to new DFAs in training.

Administrative Duties:
Hosts educational opportunities via Teams and in-person meetings.
Participates in meetings and retreats as needed.
Coordinates the training of new DFAs.
Gives regular feedback about development and growth of DFAs to department directors and managers.
Guides weekly DFA meetings for learning moments.
Manages the Career Level Program of DFA II and DFA III.
Coordinates Annual Authorization Training working with the director and managers.
Plans and assists with facilitation of the Annual Retreat Day with the director and managers.
Serves as resource for DFAS director and managers.
Provides opportunities for individual and group reviews of donor cases.
Participates and gives insight for strategic planning.
Assists with interviewing and hiring of new DFAs as requested.

Covers DFA AOC on an ongoing shared basis, a minimum of 5 days in a 28 day schedule. As DFA AOC, is responsible to assist or guide the following:
Coordinates/collaborates with Organ AOC and Referral Optimization Charge for daily assignments, with the possibility of reaching out to Clinical Risk Person.
Performs Legal Next of Kin (LNOK) and Accurint Searches as needed.
Completes registry confirmations, as needed.
Reviews charting, progress notes and Authorization/Uniform Donor Risk Assessment Interview (UDRAI) paperwork.
Provides real time education, mentoring and support for DFAs.
Performs troubleshooting and problem solving.
Participates on all Objection Calls.
Acts as an internal resource to DNA staff:
Participates in Training Committee and cross-functional practice projects related to donor family conversations across Donor Network of Arizona.
Collaborates with departmental leadership, Director of Quality, Director of Human Resources, and others to address specific training needs identified through performance metrics, variances and internal and external audits.
Develops and conducts in-service education to DNA staff as requested
Performs all duties in an efficient and effective manner:
Maintains accurate records.
Assures compliance with all regulatory requirements, standard operating procedures, department policies, and professional practices.

Performs related duties and responsibilities as needed and/or assigned.
Provides opportunities for individual and group debriefing of donor cases and maintains employee confidentiality with all debriefings.
Assists across DNA on special projects where skillset and experience is beneficial to the organization.
Contributes to other department meetings as needed.

Qualifications:

Minimum Education
Bachelor’s Degree

Minimum Experience
5 years in field of Donation Conversations

Minimum Field of Previous Expertise
Training and Education on donor family conversations and/or related competencies.

Preferred Experience
Bilingual (Spanish) strongly preferred
Leadership or Educator in Donor and Family Services at an Organ Procurement Organization