As nursing professional development (NPD) practitioners, we role model lifelong learning and professional development every day. We are living examples to those around us that with a commitment to continuous learning comes personal and professional fulfillment and growth. NPD practitioners are key "go-to" sources for those who aspire to become nurses and those who are already nurses seeking advice on academic progression. NPD practitioners provide information on balancing work with school, perspectives on academic loads, selecting one's major and degree, and choosing colleges or universities whose offerings may align with the individual's desired program and schedule. To be entrusted with providing input on such important life decisions is truly an honor.
NPD practitioners are mentors for future nurses and for those who are advancing their nursing expertise through the many avenues available across the continuing education diaspora. Connie Vance, EdD, RN, FAAN, in her work on mentorship in nursing, stated that, although it had gone by different names and was not well published when she began her investigations in the mid-1970s, mentoring has always been present in nursing. "We just didn't use the word"; she writes, "We didn't openly acknowledge the mentor relationship, but nurses were mentoring each other, and this continues today" (Vance & Nickitas, 2014, p. 66).
NPD practitioners personify mentorship as they not only advise at one cross-section in time, but also accompany fellow nurses along the academic progression journey. In some cases, we are cheerleaders; in others, we are consolers and counselors. Sometimes, we are tutors. Regardless, we value and enjoy the opportunity to impact the lives of others through the sharing of knowledge and information.
Still, we ourselves often wonder, what exactly is the best approach to advising on selecting the most appropriate academic program? What are the common barriers that nurses face not just at my organization but overall, and what are some of the issues that we as NPD practitioners should include in our discussions with nurses who have sought our expertise on academic progression? A task force commissioned by the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) convened to discuss the NPD practitioner's role in promoting and supporting the academic progression of nurses. One of the four main issues emphasized in the pivotal 2010 Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing Report was that an improved education system is needed-one that would promote seamless academic progression for nurses and allow nurses to achieve higher levels of education and training (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2010). With that in mind, an ANPD task force explored the many education options available-pros and cons of the various options and common barriers experienced when pursuing educational advancement. The task force completed the discussion paper Nursing Professional Development Practitioner Role in Advising for Academic Advancement (2017) in April 2017, and it is available for ANPD members on the ANPD website, http://www.anpd.org. This is a must-have item for the NPD toolkit to assist in fulfilling our roles as knowledgeable advisors on academic progression in nursing. This valuable tool was the result of a comprehensive and deliberative process.
Associations use a discussion paper as a tool to provide balanced information on a topic without espousing a specific position. When a task force is asked to develop a discussion paper, the members gather information on multiple aspects of a particular topic, not identifying any aspect as right or wrong. When a task force is asked to write a position statement or paper, on the other hand, the members gather a list of reasons to support a particular viewpoint and make their stand clear to the reader. A team consisting of Mary Harper, PhD, RN-BC; Ann Colvin, MSN, RN-BC; and Michele Noble, MN, APRN, RN-BC, was tasked with reviewing a position paper entitled "Distance Education." After reviewing the paper and presenting it to the ANPD Board of Directors, the decision was made to replace the position paper with a discussion paper, and a task force was created. The task force was composed of ANPD members experienced in advising staff about advancement of academic education. Other desirable, but not required, criteria for task force members included NPD certification and recent completion of an RN-BSN, MSN, DNP, EdD, or PhD program and diversity of work settings including hospital-based and academic NPD practitioners and variety among geographical areas. The goal of the task force was to provide a resource to guide NPD practitioners when advising nurses who are considering advancing their academic education or nonnurses interested in pursuing a nursing degree.
This six-member task force met monthly by conference call beginning in October 2016 and had four virtual meetings. The group reviewed the literature and committed to writing 2-4 hours per month on the topic with a goal of completing this work by the end of February 2017.
The task force accomplished its goal due in great part to role clarity and incredible commitment and productivity on the part of task force members. Key areas to research and write about were identified and assigned as follows:
* Linda Jennings, Ed.D, MSN, RN-Selected as the group leader. Review the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Future of Nursing Report and doctoral statistics.
* Kathryn A'Hearn, MSN, RN-BC, CCRN-Identify clinical leader programs, post graduate certificate programs and other professional development education options.
* Dennis Doherty, MSN, RN-BC, CCRN-Explore RN to BSN programs and generic BSN programs.
* Elizabeth Fritz, MSN, RN-BC-Review information on PhD, EdD, DNP and MSN options.
* Jennifer Lewis, MSN, RN-BC, CCRN-Review National League for Nursing (NLN) and American Nurses Association (ANA) position statements on continuing education.
* Christine Schumacher, MS, MSN, RN-BC-Review literature on challenges and barriers to academic progression for nurses.
Task force members performed a comprehensive literature review and used the Nursing Professional Development Scope & Standards (Harper & Maloney, 2016) and the Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing Report (2010) as resources. These documents, respectively, helped underscore and clarify the role of the NPD practitioner as an expert and advisor and continually focus the group on the importance of academic advancement for nurses as not just a nursing issue but an issue impacting the entire healthcare landscape. After months of careful consideration and revisions, the discussion paper entitled Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Practitioner Responsibility in Advising for Academic Advancement was shared with ANPD membership in April 2017. Our sincere thanks go out to the task force who embraced this important work and provided a thoughtful document that all NPD practitioners can use to enhance efficacy in their role as academic advisor. This discussion paper will support both new and seasoned NPD practitioners as we mentor, nurture, and, in some cases, push our fellow nurses and aspiring nurses to aim high and never stop learning!
We are grateful to the task force for their incredible work. Special thanks to Michele Noble, MN, APRN, RN-BC, ANPD Board of Directors liaison to the task force, for her leadership and guidance in bringing this goal to fruition.
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