"Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives." This quote, attributed to Florence Nightingale in the 1800s, foreshadows the need for nurses to constantly learn and adapt to be key contributors in health care. This mandate has never been more important than it is today as nurses strive to meet the constantly changing demands of today's complex healthcare system.
In 2010, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Initiative on the Future of Nursing at the Institute of Medicine (IOM) was formed to develop a set of recommendations for the future of nursing (Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing at the Institute of Medicine, 2011). The committee recognized the importance of prelicensure and ongoing education for nurses in a health system striving to constantly improve patient outcomes. The recommendations also confirm the very important leadership role for nurses in the healthcare system (see Table 1).
Nursing professional development (NPD) specialists play a pivotal role in meeting these recommendations. In 2013, the Association for Nursing Professional Development's Public Policy Committee, led by Heather Lary, MSN, RN-BC, and Eileen Engh, MSN, RN-BC, CPN, produced a position statement that outlined the role of NPD specialists in this work.
The Scope and Standards of Practice for Nursing Professional Development (American Nurses Association and National Nursing Staff Development Organization, 2010) provides a framework for outlining the role of the NPD specialist in support of these recommendations. There are five key areas of responsibility in the scope of practice that provide a structure for the actions: career development, education, leadership, program management, and compliance initiatives. The strategies suggested in the position paper can be implemented by NPD specialists based on what is appropriate for their specific role and setting.
REMOVE SCOPE-OF-PRACTICE BARRIERS
NPD specialists are in a position to support this recommendation by working within their own institutions to ensure that policies are in place that promote nurses working to the full extent of their education and training. In addition, promoting policies that expand the role and scope of practice relative to the competencies aligned with the level of a nurse's education is essential.
EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR NURSES TO LEAD AND DIFFUSE COLLABORATIVE IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS
This broad recommendation has significant potential influence by NPD specialists, because of their key role in developing and implementing professional development opportunities for nurses at all levels and in a variety of clinical specialties. Professional development includes ongoing education, and can also include fostering other avenues for advancement such as clinical and other career ladders. NPD specialists are in a unique position to collaborate with other healthcare disciplines to develop interprofessional learning opportunities and promote collaboration across disciplines, thus promoting partnerships. Because of their involvement with ongoing education of staff, they have a natural link to work collaboratively with nurse educators who practice in academic environments. Their expertise as clinicians, educators, and leaders places NPD specialists in an opportune place to be involved with policy development, regulatory requirement interpretation, and compliance monitoring.
IMPLEMENT NURSE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS
Identified as an evidence-based best practice in supporting the transition of novice nurses into professional practice, nurse residency programs are key to the future of the nursing workforce. Assessing needs and designing, implementing, and evaluating these programs are work that NPD specialists are perfectly positioned to undertake. Because of the nature of these programs, a close, collaborative working relationship with both academic partners and organizational nursing leaders is essential. The programs need to be appropriately designed and administered in a way that meets the transition needs of the graduates while fitting into the operations of an organization. This way, return on investment can be realized.
INCREASE THE PROPORTION OF NURSES WITH A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE TO 80% BY 2020
NPD specialists play a key role in increasing the number of nurses with a baccalaureate degree by coaching and encouraging individual learners to continue their formal education. They are in a natural position to facilitate this by working closely with academic partners to explore options that are user-friendly for working professionals. Advocating for nurses who achieve their degrees, encouraging growth in their current roles, or promoting movement into new positions are roles that the NPD specialist can assume. In addition, NPD specialists and educational leaders are in a position to advocate for tuition and leadership support for practicing nurses working to further their education.
DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF NURSES WITH A DOCTORATE BY 2020
NPD specialists can support this recommendation by encouraging nurses seeking their doctorate and helping to explore appropriate programs of study. Forming partnerships with schools and encouraging leadership support are also key roles for educators to take in support of this recommendation.
ENSURE THAT NURSES ENGAGE IN LIFELONG LEARNING
Formal and informal lifelong learning are essential for nurses to stay relevant as frontline leaders in health care. NPD specialists promote lifelong learning by facilitating educational events, acting as planners for contact-hour provider units, and addressing needs of diverse populations. Lifelong learning activities can take many forms such as instructor-led workshops, simulation events, and computer-based and/or blended learning activities. Commitment to lifelong learning and ongoing personal and professional development is also reflected in active membership in nursing professional organizations. NPD specialists are in a position to identify internal talent and to mentor staff to take leadership roles in organizations and on boards. These efforts subsequently support succession planning activities within departments and organizations.
PREPARE AND ENABLE NURSES TO LEAD CHANGE TO ADVANCE HEALTH
Supporting nurses in the development of their leadership skills is a key role for educational leaders. Identifying nurses with emerging leadership skills and developing nurses in current leadership roles by providing them with access to formal learning and experiential learning opportunities are roles for which NPD specialists are ideally positioned. Interprofessional leadership development and mentoring programs are an ideal way to launch nurses as future leaders.
BUILD AN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE DATA
NPD specialists can take an active role in the compilation of data that will help inform the future of nurses in the workforce. Whether the data are related to patient outcomes, which might be correlated to workforce structure or quality data that might be influenced by educational initiatives, the NPD specialist can be a key player in the generation of new knowledge and the achievement of improvements in outcomes.
The white paper, "Role of the Nursing Professional Development in Helping Meet Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing Recommendations," outlines multiple suggestions on how NPD specialists can support their organizations in meeting the IOM recommendations. The complete document is currently available on the Association for Nursing Professional Development Web site.
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