September 14-20 is NPD Week — Nursing Professional Development Week! This special week is all about helping you become the best nurse you can be. It’s a time to recognize your growth and provide you with the resources you need to reach your career goals. For instance, your plan for nursing professional development.
To celebrate, let’s look at the best ways to learn and grow in your nursing career: Starting by creating an effective Nursing Professional Development Plan (NPDP).
What is a Nursing Professional Development Plan?
A Nursing Professional Development Plan (NPDP) is a strategic tool designed to help you advance your career, improve your skills, and expand your professional knowledge. As you know, healthcare is always changing. This plan helps you stay on top of the change and grow with it, all while achieving your specific goals.
What is Included in a Nursing Professional Development Plan?
Your Nursing Professional Development Plan focuses on the actions you’ll take to reach your educational and career goals. It might include:
Objectives
Clear, specific goals that outline where you want to be in both the short term and long term.
- Example: “Become a Nurse Leader in the next 3 years.”
Plans
How are you going to make it happen? Write down each of the steps you’ll take to achieve your goals. For instance:
- Earn a master’s degree in Clinical Nurse Leadership (CNL).
- Complete the CNL program.
- Pass the CNL certification exam.
Strengths
Explain why you have the strength to make it happen. What unique traits or qualities do you have that support your goal?
Example: “Natural Leader: I’m always finding myself guiding, motivating, and teaching others.”
Skills
Think about nursing skills or areas you want to improve to help make your goals possible.
Example: “Conflict resolution skills, communication skills…”
Opportunities
What opportunities can you look for to gain experience and support your goal?
Example: “Volunteer for leadership roles on committees, look for assignments with increased leadership responsibility, sign up for leadership trainings/webinars…”
Resources
Are there any mentors, networks, or educational resources you can use to guide and support your professional development?
Example: “In-house continuing education, leadership webinars through the ANA…”
Remember: Your NPDP isn’t something you make once at the beginning of your nursing career and call it good. It grows with you and your goals. It helps you stay focused, motivated, and proactive in your professional growth, turning your goals from ideas into achievements!
How to Select Your Nursing Professional Development Activities
Start by Setting a SMART Goal
First, effective Nursing Professional Development Plans are action-oriented. Instead of saying, “I want to become a Team Lead,” specify how you’ll get there with concrete steps: “I want to become a Team Lead by completing X, Y, and Z.”
To guide your plan, start by setting a SMART goal:
- Specific: Spare no detail! The clearer your goal, the easier it is to achieve.
- Measurable: How will you know when you’ve reached your goal? Determine how you’ll measure progress. For example, if you want to get “better” at a skill, set criteria for how you’ll gauge your improvement.
- Attainable: Make sure your goal is within your reach. Dream big, but set yourself up for success.
- Relevant: Is your goal relevant to what you want to achieve in your career and life in the long run? Make sure it aligns.
- Time-Bound: We all procrastinate. Without a deadline, it’s easy to put our goals off. Fight this by giving yourself a realistic deadline for your goal to keep yourself on track.
Talk with a Mentor
Not sure where to start? Talk with a mentor, unit leader, or someone you look up to at your facility. Share your goals and seek their advice on what to include in your Nursing Professional Development Plan.
Use Nursing Professional Development Plan Resources
There are endless resources out there to help you make your goals happen. The Association for Nursing Professional Development is a great place to start. Plus, we’ve compiled a whole list for you here!
5 Ways to Level Up Your Nursing Professional Development Plan
Want to take your Nursing Professional Development Plan to the next level? Here are some must-haves and best practices to help:
Look Into Continuing Education Opportunities
The more you learn, the more you grow. Continuing education (CE) is crucial for your NPDP.
- Check if your facility offers CE courses.
- Attend local or national conferences to expand your knowledge (and your network).
- Explore CE online courses and webinars through the American Nurses Association (ANA).
Remember: Choose courses or conferences that tie back to your goals. For example, if you want to become a Nurse Leader, look for opportunities focused on leadership and management.
Get a Certification
Become an expert — and make it official! Getting a nursing certification is one of the most effective ways to level up your career and confidence.
Once again, go back to your main goal. What do you want to achieve in the long-term? What type of certification(s) will help get you there?
Explore More Advanced Roles
Plan your next career steps. Where can you grow and go next?
- Can you move into a Nurse Leader or Nurse Manager role?
- Could you become a specialist?
- Could you advance to a more specialized setting?
Research advanced roles you’re interested in and see what education, experience, and steps are required to get there. Then, you’ll have your next action steps for your nursing professional development plan!
Participate in Committees
See if your facility has any committees you can join or volunteer with. This can help you rub shoulders with important leaders, increase your experience, and open advancement opportunities that support your nursing professional development plan.
Find or Become a Mentor
Lastly, wherever you are in your career, mentorship can help you get a step further.
- If you need a mentor, they can help you reach your goals, dream bigger, and overcome obstacles.
- If you become a mentor, you can help others do the same — all while building your own confidence, experience, and leadership skills.
Growing Your Nursing Career with New Experiences
The ultimate key to nursing professional development is always looking for and staying open to new experiences. Wherever you want to go in your career, CareerStaff can connect you with the right opportunities.
Curious about openings for your dream roles? Quick Apply to work with a dedicated recruiter today, or search hundreds of local, travel, and per diem nursing jobs nationwide now.