The ANPD Board is charged with developing and implementing the strategic plan for the organization. On the basis of membership input, the four focus areas of the strategic plan are Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Role Delineation, Managing Transitions, Leadership, and ANPD Value Proposition. ANPD Value Proposition may be the last on the list, but it certainly is not the last in the minds of the ANPD membership. This proposition states that ANPD will strengthen its value to NPD specialists, and be recognized as their preferred membership organization. ANPD takes this call to value very seriously, and has been working hard to offer additional resources to its members. Going to the ANPD home page and moving the cursor to the Education tab accesses many of these resources. Under the Education tab is the Professional Development Center (PDC), the starting place for a member's professional development.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER
The PDC is an exciting membership benefit and the hub for ANPD members' professional development activity. At this center, a member can choose continuing education programs and maintain the files of completed activities. A frequently asked questions sheet and a short video get you started at the following Web site: https://anpd.site-ym.com/?page=prof_dev_ctr.
The PDC catalog tab lists over 40 educational offerings including webinars (many free to members), convention recordings (at a significant discount for members), educational modules such as Preceptor Program Administration: NPD Considerations. The catalog can be searched by key word. The topics are also sorted by "most viewed," "highest rated," or "recently added."
ANPD has partnered with Lippincott to provide webinars on timely topics. Although not all webinars are free to members, those sponsored by Lippincott are free and are available at the PDC for 2 weeks after the live webinar presentation. In partnership with Lippincott, ANPD will continue to offer these free webinars through 2016. Using needs assessment data completed by ANPD members, the ANPD Education Committee develops the webinar topics and other educational products. A subgroup of the Education Committee (Cathy Colley, Wayne Neal, and Patsy Maloney) developed the educational product, "Preceptor Program Administration: NPD Considerations." This program consists of three modules that discuss topics relevant to preceptor programs, but typically are not found in other preceptor resources. They include organizational support of preceptor programs, selection and socialization of preceptors, and the basics of ethics for preceptor preparation. This program is not free to members but is discounted and designed to make the work of an NPD practitioner easier. Another program designed to reduce the workload of the NPD practitioner is the "Frontline Nurse Leader Development Program."
FRONTLINE NURSE LEADER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
ANPD is very excited about the "Frontline Nurse Leader Development Program," also known as the "Charge Nurse Program." This valuable resource launched in the fall. The importance of the frontline leader in the delivery of safe, quality care is undisputed. Yet agencies struggle to prepare nurses as frontline leaders. ANPD has done the work for you by developing this evidence-based program. This program has its own page https://anpd.site-ym.com/?chargenurse, which also can be reached using the education tab on the ANPD home page. The program consists of 17 modules divided into four sections: Overview of Roles and Responsibilities, Clinical Management at the Point of Care, Human Resources Management at the Point of Care, and Legal and Ethical Considerations for Management at the Point of Care. Those who successfully complete the entire program will earn 11.75 contact hours (each module is worth between .5 and 1.5 contact hours). The modules cover concepts and competencies essential to the success of the frontline leader. They include, but are not limited to, decision-making, financial management, staffing, creating a healthy work environment, self-care, accountability/responsibility, and conflict management. A free demonstration module, "Conflict Management" module, is available to members and guests, who must set up an ANPD guest account. This demonstration module gives potential users the opportunity to view the interactivity and quality of the modules. Members and/or their chief nurse executive (as a guest) can access this demo module at the PDC. Do take the time to view the demo to preview this excellent product, which was designed to support safe, quality care and make the work of an NPD practitioner easier. Another product designed to prevent the NPD practitioner from reinventing the wheel is "Mosby's Preceptor Course."
ANPD PARTNERSHIPS: MOSBY'S PRECEPTOR COURSE AND APEX INNOVATIONS
A significant role of NPD practitioners is partnering for practice transitions (Warren & Harper, 2015). Preceptors partner with NPD practitioners in transitioning newly licensed nurses into practice or transitioning experienced nurses into new nursing specialties or roles. Developing a quality preceptor preparation program requires a huge investment of human and financial resources. This investment has already been accomplished through a collaborative effort between Elsevier and ANPD in their development of the Mosby's Preceptor Course. This course consists of 15 online lessons covering such topics as teaching and learning, communication, competency, and facilitating critical thinking. Key features such as assessment, competency development, feedback, performance evaluation, and self-care are threaded throughout the course. ANPD has developed another collaborative relationship with APEX Innovations.
ANPD is partnering with APEX Innovations, a long-time exhibitor at ANPD conventions, to provide discounts on APEX Web-based educational products. At this point in time, their products are primarily geared toward critical care and first responders. ANPD members and their organizations receive a significant discount for APEX products. For this discount, APEX products must be linked from the ANPD online store.
NPD CERTIFICATION PRACTICE EXAMS
One of ANPD's most popular educational products is the NPD certification practice tests. These tests were developed by ANPD members Bette Case Di Leonardi, PhD, RN-BC, Jan Hodges, MSN, RN-BC, and Stacey O'Brien, MSN, RN-BC, and follow the June 2014 NPD Board Certification Test Content Outline. The test items have not been psychometrically tested nor are they actual test items. Three 50-item tests may be purchased individually or as a discounted package. Although not designed as a free-standing study resource, each test item provides the rationale for the answer, the content reference, and the testing domain. This resource serves as an excellent study aide that may in fact identify areas for additional study. These practice tests are available to members at a significant discount.
NPD DIALOGUE
The NPD Dialogue is not a product, but a communication tool that is referred to as a blog written for and by NPD practitioners. New entries are posted every other week, giving NPD practitioners a venue for sharing and welcoming others to add to the dialogue. The inaugural posting, "The Joy of Lifelong Learning," was written by former ANPD President Kari Schmidt, MS, RN-BC, ACC. Other postings include "Alternate Careers in the NPD World" by Cindy Friss, MEd, BSN, RN-BC; "I'm an Educator, Not a Juggler!: 4 Ways to Manage Your Day" by Greg Durkin, MEd, RN-BC; and "Paying It Forward" by Susan Bindon, DNP, RN-BC, CNE. The most recent postings are "Celebrating Our Role: A Tribute to NPD Specialists" by ANPD President, Joan Warren, PhD, RN-BC, NEA-BC, FAAN, and "Apps for Educators" by Jobeth Pilcher, EdD, RN-BC, and the attendees of the "Bring Your Own App! Crowdsource a Toolbox for Mobile Learning" session during the 2015 ANPD Annual Convention. This posting is an extensive, categorized list of educator apps and resources. The NPD Dialogue is chock-full of great ideas and tips. Unfortunately, an actual dialogue or exchange of ideas has not developed. Although 10 outstanding blogs have been posted, only one comment has been made as of this writing. Please take advantage of and contribute to this great tool. Check out the postings and add ideas and comments in dialogue with the invited/accepted posts. Members with topics or experiences to share as a post should contact Molly Somerville, the blog administrator, by e-mail at mailto:[email protected]. NPD Dialogue can be found on the ANPD home page or at http://www.npddialogue.blogspot.com/.
THE FUTURE
ANPD has some exciting releases planned this year. Char Smith, DNS, MSEd, WHNP, RN-BC, CNE, ANEF, and other ANPD members serving as authors have worked hard writing and editing a new text, Leadership in NPD: An Organizational and System Focus, scheduled for release this year. The NPD Scope and Standards Workgroup has been busy revising The Scope and Standards of Nursing Professional Development Practice to include an exciting new model of NPD practice with the plan to release the new edition by our next convention in Pittsburgh. In addition to these publications, ANPD has partnered with Elsevier to offer "Mosby's Medical-Surgical Nursing: Transition to Practice Course" in 2016. This will be an interactive online program.
ANPD continues to strengthen its value to members. Value is only a click away. Please take the time to explore the ANPD Web site and take advantage of the free and discounted products and resources available to members. Visit the Web site frequently as more and more resources designed to make the work of the NPD practitioner easier are added.
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