Sandra Bruce is the Nurse Education Program Manager, Air Force Personnel Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas, and is responsible for the Air Force Continuing Nursing Education program and facilitation of selection boards for graduate education and fellowship programs. She served as editor for the third and fourth editions of the Association for Nursing ProfessionalDevelopment (ANPD) Core Curriculums forNursing ProfessionalDevelopment. Sandy previously served as the Education Consultant to the Air Force SurgeonGeneral forNursing Education programs for over 3,000 Air Force Nurse Corps members. She received her BSN from Mercy College of Detroit in 1976 and entered the Air Force in 1982. The Air Force sponsored her Master's Degree in Nursing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist.
1. What are the significant professional milestones in your NPD journey/career?
SB: Serving as the Editor of the third and fourth editions of the ANPD Core Curriculum for Nursing Professional Development, I learned that you are not alone; access to experts and resources amplifies the perquisite knowledge and skills in nursing education and sparks collegial relationships. I also served as President of the then National Nurses in Staff Development (NNSDO). I served on the ANPD Convention Planning Committee for two years as a planner and two years as the Committee Chair. It was an amazing experience, and I encourage all new and not so new ANPD members to volunteer for such activities.
I am currently retired from the Air Force, but remain engaged in Air Force Nursing Education as a civilian employee. This provides access to my peers, and allows me to play a continued role in nursing professional development (NPD).
2. How have you seen the specialty of NPD grow/evolve/change during your career?
SB: The quality of NPD programs has continually improved. There are more avenues than ever to stay current in practice and connected with our specialty. ANPD members who cannot attend conventions have alternate resources such as ANPD Lippincott free webinars. I have seen the practice of NPD evolve and can attribute growth in practice by attending NPD programs, and collaboration with partners to keep my NPD practice current and relevant. ANPD also supports a network of affiliates that sustain NPD practice and provides continued support at the local area.
3. What do you see as significant trends or gaps in NPD practice, from your perspective as an expert in education?
SB: NPD practice has evolved, and ANPD conventions continue to support dissemination of new information and practices. ANPD also provides opportunities for members to keep current through the use of webinars and peer-to-peer discussions. I am gratified that ANPD seeks various learning platforms to sustain professional practice. However, we need to be mindful of including other medical specialties, e.g., continuing medical education.
4. What insights can you share related to the value of NPD in healthcare organizations now and in the future?
SB: NPD provides a platform for developing and sustaining nursing professional practice. ANPD encourages members to seek experts and collaborate with peers to provide quality programs that meet professional practice needs. NPD supports multiple specialties based on current nursing practice.
5. What advice do you have for NPD specialists in the context of today's healthcare and learning environments?
SB: Take time to mentor novices and guide them to resources that promote NPD. When able, provide your leadership coherent rationale for approving staff to attend ANPD and specialty conferences.
Be an advocate and role model for NPD. Seek partnerships. For example, The Army and the Air Force Nurse Corps collaborated to fund a "virtual Continuing Education Program (vCNE)." In order to validate that all criteria were embedded in the vCNE, we asked the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to review our virtual accreditation process. Both military services provided funding for the vCNE. This process provides the capability to build CNE applications in a virtual environment (paperless applications).
Our recent Air Force Approver Unit reaccreditation process was awarded and is embedded in the vCNE, and demonstrates that all ANCC requirements were met. Ultimately the Air Force Nurse Corps Approval Unit achieved accreditation with distinction.