1. What are the significant professional milestones in your Nursing Professional Development (NPD) journey/career?
PD: I have been involved in continuing professional development since the 1980s-as a nurse planner and provider of continuing nursing education; as an appraiser and commissioner with the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation; as a volunteer member of provider and approver continuing education committees; and as a nurse peer review leader for an accredited approver unit. Key milestones include achieving approved provider status for my entrepreneurial business as a continuing education provider in the early 1990s; being selected as a Commissioner for the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation twice-once in 1995 and again in 2008; being elected by my colleagues to serve as Chair of the Commission (2009-2014); and guiding significant change and improvement in an accredited approver unit (2012 to present). In 2013, I was honored to be one of very few NPD professionals selected for induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
The Commission on Accreditation itself has seen significant change over the time of my involvement, from serving as the "site visitors" for applicant organizations to providing oversight to the international standards for quality continuing nursing education. Being a pivotal part of that transition has been personally enriching, as well as serving to advance the profession of nursing professional development and the practice of continuing nursing education providers.
My induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing provided evidence of the value of my contributions in the field of nursing professional development and advocacy for the advancement of nursing through established and entrepreneurial ventures. While being selected as a Fellow represented a significant milestone in my career, leaders in the Academy are quick to point out that Fellows have an ongoing responsibility to contribute to advancing the profession-so the work continues!
2. How have you seen the specialty of NPD grow/evolve/change during your career?
PD: There has been a tremendous change from focus on process to emphasis on outcomes. Another major shift is the concept of interprofessional education and collaborative practice, rather than the more traditional "silo" uniprofessional approach to learning and practice. Reports from the Institute of Medicine in the past 15 years, as well as initiatives related to implementation of the Affordable Care Act, address the critical need for healthcare providers to work as teams, engaging the patient and family as significant partners. Historically, our education has been profession-specific, and there has been little focus on true interprofessional education and collaboration. Retooling our system to address team and team competency is a seismic shift, and nursing professional development specialists play a key role in facilitating that transition. Use of the Nursing Professional Development: Scope and Standards of Practice (American Nurses Association & National Nursing Staff Development Organization, 2010) to guide our work has strengthened the role of the NPD specialist and fostered the emergence of the NPD specialist as a leader in supporting the professional development of nurses through lifelong learning.
3. What do you see as significant trends or gaps in NPD practice, from your perspective as an expert in nursing professional development?
PD: The major trends already noted include the shift from process to outcomes and the focus on interprofessional education. The biggest gap in practice right now is the knowledge, skill, and ability of the NPD specialist to implement strategies leading to success in these two areas. Teaching "the way we've always taught" does not provide quality outcomes, and NPD practitioners must develop new skill sets to facilitate learning in today's complex healthcare environment. Focusing on learner needs and learning strategies rather than developing content to "present" is an extremely important asset for today's NPD specialist.
As healthcare organizations shift to an outcomes-based approach to care, we in the educational arena need to be able to speak that same language and "walk the talk" through our practice. For example, we need to be articulate in addressing return on investment as a result of changes in practice based on learner education. We must be able to select relevant outcome measures that reflect not only our own goals but also those of the systems in which we practice. The ability to collect and analyze data reflective of outcomes that advance the practice of nursing and improve patient care is critical. Failure to advance our knowledge, skills, and practice to keep up with these healthcare changes will lead to our extinction!
4. What insights can you share related to the value of NPD in healthcare organizations now and in the future?
PD: NPD specialists play critical roles in enhancing professional development and helping registered nurses practice effectively in their roles as clinicians, educators, administrators, and/or researchers. Providing evidence of outcomes, will solidify the value of the NPD role in healthcare organizations.
Educators who teach "the way they've always taught" will not get productive outcomes-today's learners do not respond well to lecture "presentations." Research clearly supports the need for active learner engagement. A key opportunity for the NPD specialist in a college of nursing or a hospital education department would be to create and role model innovative learning strategies and validate the difference in learner outcomes with creative approaches.
Another example is related to the NPD specialist as a member of a planning team for an interprofessional conference. True collaboration requires more than a presence at the table-it means thoughtful consideration of the role of nursing in the context of the entire clinical picture and in relationship to the knowledge, skills, and expertise of other members of the healthcare team, including patients and families. Guidance and leadership in planning interprofessional learning experiences solidify the nurse as a key player on the healthcare team for both education and practice. Working effectively with our colleagues in other areas of healthcare practice strengthens our collective work and improves the quality of patient care.
5. What advice do you have for NPD specialists in the context of today's healthcare and learning environments?
PD: Keep learning and enhancing your own professional development so that you can be effective in your role. The field continues to change, and educators today play a critical role in assuring that provider practice contributes to safe patient care.
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