How often do we take time to reflect on what we do as nurses in professional development? A colleague recently asked me to describe what Nursing Professional Development (NPD) is and what we do. I was happy to oblige and relished the opportunity to share our expertise and the valuable contributions NPD makes each day. Rather than enlightening my listener with a succinct, coherent description of our specialty, I stumbled through a list of tasks and topics amid some gesturing and a few vague "you know" phrases. I regret the missed opportunity. Since then, I have been pondering this exchange and crafting a proper response. I am ready for next time!

I hope that, as you read this, you are thinking about how you would respond to the same question. Do you have your "elevator speech" ready? The term "elevator speech" depicts meeting someone in the elevator and describes the notion that one ought to be able to respond to a question and communicate a summary of key points in the time it takes for a typical elevator ride-approximately 30 seconds. Normal speech includes approximately 120-150 words per minute, so we should be prepared to tell our story accordingly, depending on our destination and how many stops we make along the way. A successful elevator speech is a verbal extension of a business card, meant to engage and connect us with others. Ideally, the dialogue will continue long after the ride is over.

According to our NPD Scope and Standards of Practice (National Nursing Staff Development Organization and American Nurses Association, 2010, p. 3), NPD is a specialty that "facilitates the lifelong learning and development activities of nurses aimed at influencing the actualization of professional growth and role competence and proficiency." Building on this foundation, my new elevator speech might sound something like this: "NPD is a specialty responsible for facilitating the ongoing education, practice, and professional growth of nurses throughout their careers. As role models for lifelong learning, we constantly assess our own practice. We use evidence in our teaching to help individuals maintain competency, master new information, use technology at the bedside, and promote patient safety. We lead system wide projects, manage large budgets, help to ensure quality and act as consultants to implement change in various settings. We serve as both anchor and beacon to frontline nursing staff and nurse leaders."

Speaking of being able to verbalize what we do as individuals within a specialty, co-editor Kari Schmidt and I are excited to launch a brand-new JNPD column this month called "Ask an Expert." In each issue, we plan to highlight one of the many NPD experts in our midst and promote various aspects of NPD practice. The column will follow an interview format, with experts responding to a series of questions in a practical, easy-to-read way. Bette Case Di Leonardi, PhD, RN-BC, is featured in the inaugural column. Our goal is for readers to hear firsthand from some of our current and future experts about their roles and the impact of their practice. Their insights may even help to inform our personal elevator speeches.

Going up? Let us take the stairs; we have a lot to talk about!

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