Denver Health logo
Denver Health
Denver, Colorado

Clinical Nurse Educator - OR

Registered NurseFull-Time

Listed compensation

$43.64-$67.64/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and weekend coverage.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

We are recruiting for a mission-driven Clinical Nurse Educator - OR to join our team!

We're with you for life’s journey. At Denver Health, purpose isn’t just something we believe in—it’s something we live every day, for life’s journey.

Our Values

Respect | Belonging | Accountability | Transparency

Department: Perioperative 101 Training

Job Summary

Under minimal supervision, assists in developing and implementing initial training, future training and care team development programs for assigned areas. Conducts ongoing education for the team and is responsible for assuring the competency of the professional nurse and unlicensed personnel in those assigned areas.

Evidence of competency is reviewed and documented at least annually and is based upon the most recent evidence and best practices. Lead the departments evidences base orientation program.

Adheres to the American Nurses Association (ANA) standards of professional nursing practice / process and performance, and the ANA Code of Ethics (2015)* to provide care to all healthcare consumers.

Applies critical thinking, evidence-based practices and competence to collaborate with the health care team to promote excellence in healthcare consumer safety and quality outcomes. Utilizes the Theory of Human Caring and Caritas in daily practice.

"Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, Founder / Director, Watson Caring Science Institute."

Essential Functions

Provides direct patient care as needed to support staffing requirements, operational needs, and leadership expectations while maintaining safe, high-quality, patient-centered care. (20%)

Facilitate learning by creating an environment that supports achievement of desired cognitive, affective, and psychomotor outcomes. (10%)

Develop competency outcomes and designing curricula that reflect educational needs of the department/organization (10%)

  • Teach courses and provide training to licensed nurses and unlicensed personal (10%)
  • Develop maintain and revise learning modules and lesson plans (10%)
  • Utilize a variety of strategies to assess and evaluate knowledge and competencies. (5%)
  • Engage in policy development and revisions through research, analysis, consultation and synthesis of information. (5%)
  • Incorporate evidence-based research into education plans, patient treatment plans, and nursing practices (5%)
  • Promote critical thinking among nurses, and show commitment to professional development and lifelong learning (5%)
  • Serves as a mentor to nurses, and identify growth opportunities and education needs for practicing nurses (5%)
  • Pursue continuous quality improvements and patient safety and quality care (5%)
  • Evaluates practice in relation to professional standards, statues, regulatory requirements, hospital and departmental policies, and standards of care.
  • (5%)
  • Promotes quality care by redefining priorities for care based on evaluation of healthcare consumer/family response or changing condition.
  • (5%)

Education

Bachelor's Degree Nursing Required

Work Experience

  • 4-6 years direct patient care nursing experience. Required
  • 2-5 years operating room experience. Required

Licenses

  • RN-Registered Nurse - DORA - Department of Regulatory Agencies Required
  • BLS-Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) - AHA - American Heart Association Required
  • ACLS-Advanced Cardiac Life Support - AHA - American Heart Association Required
  • Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR) Preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Adherence to Standards of Professional Nursing Practice/ Process / Performance [ANA Standards addendum- signed] and accrediting body standards.

Strong understanding and display of the principals of customer service as it applies to patients, staff and the community

Ability to assist in identifying ways to promote quality patient-centric care and maintain Denver Health’s high level of patient satisfaction. [Nursing Vision Statement]

Ability to work effectively in a team matrix environment. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively at all levels and in a cross functional environment.

Ability to work closely with multidisciplinary staff, charge nurses, clinical nurse educator(s), and Nursing Managers, providers,, executive leadership to provide care to patients with respect to their uniqueness using informed judgment, competence, individual qualifications, and collaboration with the health care team.

Ability to demonstrate an understanding of assessment findings as they relate to the disease process and continuum of care.

  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Proficient with EHR or Epic documentation.

Shift: Varies (United States of America)

  • Work Type
  • Regular

Salary

$43.64 - $67.64 / hr

Benefits

At Denver Health, we take care of the people who take care of our community.

Our benefits are built to support your life, your family, and your future — with generous paid time off, fully paid parental leave, exceptional retirement contributions, comprehensive health coverage, and nationally recognized well-being programs.

We invest in your growth through tuition assistance, career advancement pathways, and professional development — while also offering meaningful financial advantages through loan forgiveness eligibility and employer contributions.

When you join Denver Health, you’re joining a mission-driven organization that invests in you.

  • Here is a small list of our benefit programs:
  • Paid time off starting at 28 days per year, inclusive of vacation, personal/sick, and 7 Holidays
  • 100% paid parental leave up to 6 weeks
  • Immediate eligibility for retirement plans with employer contribution up to 9.5%
  • Generous medical, dental, vision plans in addition to employer paid disability and life insurance.
  • Comprehensive well-being programs including on-site employee fitness center located on Denver Health main campus and nationally recognized RESTORE Center
  • Free RTD EcoPass (public transportation)
  • Childcare discount programs & exclusive perks on large brands, travel, and more

Tuition Reimbursement & Assistance

  • Education, coaching, and professional development opportunities through the Workforce Development Center (WFDC) that support internal career growth and advancement pathways
  • Professional clinical advancement program & shared governance
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer+ free student loan coaching and assistance navigating the PSLF program
  • National Health Service Corps (NHCS) and Colorado Health Service Corps (CHSC) eligible employer

About Denver Health

Denver Health is an integrated, high-quality academic healthcare system considered a model for the nation that includes a Level I Trauma Center, a 555-bed acute care medical center, Denver’s 911 emergency medical response system, 10 family health centers, 19 school-based health centers, Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety, the Public Health Institute at Denver Health, Denver Health Medical Plan and Denver Health Foundation.

As Colorado’s primary, and essential, safety-net healthcare system, Denver Health is a mission-driven organization that has provided millions in uncompensated care for the uninsured each year.

Located near downtown Denver, Denver Health is just minutes away from many of the cultural and recreational activities Denver has to offer.

Denver Health is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We value the unique ideas, talents and contributions reflective of the needs of our community. All job applicants for safety-sensitive positions must pass a pre-employment drug test, once a conditional offer of employment has been made. Applicants will be considered until the position is filled.

Key Responsibilities

The Clinical Nurse Educator is responsible for developing and implementing training programs, ensuring staff competency, and maintaining evidence-based nursing standards. They also provide direct patient care and collaborate with the healthcare team to promote quality outcomes and safety.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in Nursing and possess 4-6 years of direct patient care experience, including 2-5 years in an operating room setting. Required certifications include RN, BLS, and ACLS, with CNOR certification preferred.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
5+ years of experience

Key Skills

Clinical educationOperating room nursingCurriculum developmentCompetency assessmentEvidence-based practiceMentoringStaff trainingQuality improvementEHR documentationNursing leadership

Perioperative Nursing — Registered Nurse Career Context

Of the 41 active Registered Nurse listings this role was benchmarked against, 22% are remote, 56% have no call, 73% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Colorado is 103.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$116k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $112k in an average-cost state. 60.9% of Colorado clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Registered Nurse market look like in Colorado?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$91k–$141kRegistered Nurse median $103k (middle half $99k–$147k)11 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$112k in purchasing powerColorado index 103.1 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Registered Nurse listings in Colorado109 active5,834 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 22% remote · 56% no call · 73% no weekends41 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentloan repaymentColorado Registered Nurse listings: 12% state a sign-on bonus · 6% offer loan repayment109 active listings, Nov 2026
Registered Nurse pay trend+5.4% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Registered Nurse Jobs

25 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

25 jobs · 23 employers
12
<$100k
3
$100k-120k
5
$120k-140k
4
$140k-160k
1
$161k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

16 jobs
401k / retirement match
94% this job
Sign-on bonus
38%
CME allowance
13%
Loan repayment
6% this job
PSLF eligible
6% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Nurse Navigator, Hematology, 40 Hours Days

UMass Memorial Health · Worcester, Massachusetts

$90k-$161k
#2

Registered Nurse - Case Manager w/sign-on bonus - 5403

Vantage Search Group · Twentynine Palms, California

$125k-$156k
#3

Assistant Director of Nursing - Mental Health 616

$125k-$155k
#4

Triage Staff Nurse – Days – David H Koch Center GI, Hepatology, Irritable Bowel Disease Clinic - Weill Cornell Medical Center

$134k-$153k
+ 23 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 3.0
Better work-life than 30% of Perioperative Nursing (RN) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 41 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Denver Health logo

About Denver Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Denver, CO
5,001-10,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Paid time off starting at 28 days per year
100% paid parental leave up to 6 weeks
Immediate eligibility for retirement plans with employer contribution up to 9.5%
Generous medical, dental, vision plans
Employer paid disability and life insurance
Comprehensive well-being programs
Free RTD EcoPass
Childcare discount programs

Living in Denver

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$556k
Typical market rent
$1,855/mo
Residents’ average commute
25 min
State income tax
Up to 4.4%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.