In a recent column, Harper (2013) described the Association for Nursing Professional Development's (ANPD) strategic plan for 2013-2015. One target area for action in this strategic plan is products and services. The goal for developing products and services is to "demonstrate excellence as we develop educational products to meet the needs of NPD specialists at various stages in their career-from novice to expert" (p. 92). The ANPD Board of Directors delineated specific actions to meet this goal including hiring a Director of NPD, working with experts, developing a speakers' bureau, using technology, and updating the NPD Scope and Standards.
DIRECTOR OF NPD
In accordance with the action plan developed by the ANPD Board of Directors, a Director of NPD was hired. Mary Harper, PhD, RN-BC, began April 1, 2013. Dr. Harper has 15 years of experience in NPD in a variety of roles including unit-based educator, Director of Education for a three-hospital system, and National Clinical Faculty Coordinator in a university setting where she taught the nursing staff how to coach students in the clinical setting. She has been a member of the ANPD for more than 10 years and served on the Board of Directors from 2007 to 2011. Dr. Harper served on the workgroup that updated the "Nursing Professional Development: Scope and Standards" (National Nursing Staff Development Organization & American Nurses Association, 2010) and was instrumental in the development of the NPD specialist practice model. She led the ANPD Research Committee that conducted a Delphi study to identify the NPD research priorities (Harper, Asselin, MacArthur, Kurtz, & Perron, 2012). A chapter author for the Core Curriculum for Staff Development, Third Edition (Bruce, 2009), she is a section editor for the newly released fourth edition. Dr. Harper also has been an instructor for the NPD certification review course sponsored by the ANPD.
The Director of NPD has numerous responsibilities that will propel the organization toward realization of the goals of the strategic plan. For example, the Director is responsible to work closely with the ANPD members and staff of the association management company, SmithBucklin, to identify, develop, evaluate, and continuously improve educational products and services to meet the needs of the membership. To do this, the Director will provide oversight for the ANPD Convention Content Planning Committee, the Education Committee, and the Products and Services Committee to identify educational needs and opportunities. Once needs are identified, the Director will manage the operational aspects of development and the implementation of educational products to meet these needs. In addition, the Director will ensure that educational offerings comply with the American Nurses Credentialing Center's requirements for continuing education and serve as the nurse planner for continuing education activities. The Director supports member engagement through active participation in the ANPD Web site discussion forums and other electronic outreach mediums, such as a Facebook or Twitter page, as these new communication methods are implemented. Finally, the Director will oversee the management of the NPD Certification Review Course sponsored by the ANPD.
Core Curriculum for NPD, Fourth Edition
Perhaps, the most exciting new product designed to meet the needs of ANPD members is the recently released Core Curriculum for Nursing Professional Development, Fourth Edition (Bruce, 2013). Sandra Bruce, MSN, RN-BC, served as editor for the Core and provided oversight for section editors Patsy Maloney, EdD, RN-BC, NEA-BC; Barbara Brunt, MA, MN, RN-BC, NE-BC; and Mary Harper, PhD, RN-BC. The renaming of the fourth edition is indicative of the new Core's alignment with the NPD Scope and Standards (National Nursing Staff Development Organization & American Nurses Association, 2010). The Core is divided into three sections: Management, Implementation, and Leadership. The Management section describes foundational and theoretical bases for the NPD specialty and has new content on generational differences and the development of critical thinking and clinical decision making. The second section, Implementation, describes day-to-day NPD processes such as coordination, implementation, and budgeting for learning activities. It also contains new chapters about the educator/facilitator elements of NPD practice, competency programs, and career development and role transitions. The final section, Leadership, covers the intertwined elements of practice as described in the 2010 NPD Scope and Standards in addition to chapters on professional practice guidelines and NPD department management.
The Core Curriculum for Nursing Professional Development, Fourth Edition (Bruce, 2013), is available on the ANPD Web site (ANPD.org) in the online store.
WEBINAR SERIES
Another action taken by the ANPD Board of Directors to meet the goal for products and services is to use technology to develop a live Webinar series to meet the needs of membership. Each Webinar has been approved by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for one contact hour of continuing education. The inaugural Webinar, "Reinventing Leadership Development," was presented by Kari Schmidt, MS, RN-BC, in February 2013 and attracted over 100 registrants. That Webinar was followed in March by a presentation by Julia Aucoin, DNS, RN-BC, CNE, on "Financial Assessment of Nursing Professional Development Activities and Departments." April's Webinar was delivered by Donna Ruth, MSN, RN, on "Developing a Preceptor Program: Laying the Foundation for Success," and May's topic was "Nursing Residency Programs" presented by a team led by Chris Wilson, MSN, RN-BC. Registration for these Webinars has averaged more than 100 each and included both ANPD members and nonmembers.
Continuing education Webinars are planned for the remainder of 2013 (see Table 1). Registration is required on the ANPD Web site (ANPD.org) using the education tab. For individuals unable to attend the live Webinars, recordings of the Webinars are available for purchase on the ANPD Web site and also provide continuing education hours.
One Webinar of note, presented by Nicole Gooding, MSHS, BN, RN, Chair of the 2013 Convention Content Planning Committee, is designed to help NPD specialists and other nurses write abstracts for presentations. Nicole brings a wealth of experience to this topic through her review of hundreds of abstracts for the ANPD annual convention. Committee members who review abstracts for convention often find that authors make seemingly minor mistakes that have major implications for selection. This Webinar outlines the components of a good abstract and itemizes common errors that may prevent selection for presentation. The Webinar is available without charge to ANPD members.
COMMITTEE ENGAGEMENT
In addition to the specific actions taken by the ANPD Board of Directors to meet the products and services goal in the strategic plan, ANPD committees are actively engaged in operationalizing the strategic plan. For example, the Products and Services Committee, under the direction of Chair Tina Spagnola, MSN, RN-BC, has developed a list of potential products and services to benefit membership. The committee members use personal experience, input from other members, and insight gained from discussion forums on the ANPD Web site to identify opportunities for product development. These development opportunities are being prioritized to make recommendations to the ANPD Board of Directors for subsequent development. In addition, the Committee has reviewed and recommended products for sale at the annual ANPD conventions.
The Education Committee is also actively engaged in operationalizing the strategic plan. Co-chairs Judy Bowling, MSN, RN, MHA, and Debra Liebig, BSN, RN, MLA, are guiding the committee as it works toward meeting the charge from the ANPD Board of Directors to assess the current activities for alignment with the strategic plan and needs of the membership; examine how we deliver education, particularly related to the use of technology; analyze evaluations and feedback from educational activities; and evaluate the education needed by membership in light of the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine (2010) "Future of Nursing" report. The committee developed a brief needs assessment to be administered as part of the annual convention evaluation to guide its future work, including planning for the 2014 Webinar series.
As described above, the strategic plan for 2013-2015, developed by the ANPD Board of Directors, has become a living document that is guiding the work of the association, especially in the target area of products and services. Your input is welcome. If you have needs or ideas for how ANPD can better serve you through its products and services, please start a discussion in the General/Miscellaneous section of the Discussion Forum on the ANPD Web site (anpd.org).
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