Nursing Professional Development Plan Sample

Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) are primary care providers who provide necessary healthcare and preventive care services to patients. APNs are licensed to diagnose and treat illnesses, advise patients about their health concerns, manage and treat chronic diseases, and write prescriptions for certain illnesses and diseases. An APN must have obtained a bachelor’s degree in nursing, the licensing required for all registered nurses (RNs), and a master’s degree with the required licensing to practice within his or her state. APNs are expected to continuously educate themselves on technological, methodological, and medical developments in the field. The purpose of this paper is to review the role of the APN, understand the specific regulations that guide advanced practice within a particular state, develop a professional development plan, and identify networking and marketing strategies that will help secure my first APN job position.

A big part of this paper is to instruct APN nursing students how to develop an APN professional development plan (PDP), which is a written plan of the goals and objectives a nursing professional has outlined for his or her career. The PDP is a written summary that helps to clarify one’s professional focus and clearly identify career and education goals (Gould, 2017). A professional development plan is a visual S.M.A.R.T goals outline that includes one’s interests and dislikes, values and skills, strengths and professional experience. It is an overall snapshot of how one’s education, work experience, goals, and personality align with a desired job role. Some professional development plans may include short and long-term career goals, as well as a statement of purpose, any qualifications or skill one may be working on, and job requirements of any promising positions (Gould, 2017). The most important aspect of this assignment nursing students should consider is the role professional development plans have in helping APN nursing students see where they are in their careers and envision and actualize what they need to do to further their educational and professional goals.

The scope of practice guidelines for APNs vary according to each state. As of now, 21 states and the District of Columbia allow APNs “full practice” authority, which allows them to assess, diagnose, interpret diagnostic tests, and prescribe medications independent of oversight from a physician (NCSL & ASTHO, 2018). The remaining 29 states have restricted APN practice guidelines (NCSL & ASTHO, 2018). In order to be effective in their roles, APNs must memorize and follow the regulations and policies that guide APN practice in their states. In the state of Georgia, APNs must practice in agreement with a written code of behavior or set of rules that guide practice authority and prescriptive authority, as well as defines if the APN role is recognized as a primary care provider (NCSL & ASTHO, 2018). This protocol agreement must be under a licensed physician who appoints authority to the APN to perform specific medical services. The APN practice authority and prescriptive authority in Georgia is codified under Ga. Rules & Regs. §410-11-.14 and states a physician-based affiliation is required to consult patients and to prescribe medications for patients (NCSL & ASTHO, 2018). Ga. Rules & Regs. §410-11-.14 does not include a clear definition of the role of the nurse practitioner as the primary care provider; since the APN role is not recognized in policy, it is considered “restricted” practice environment in the scope of practice. Prescriptive authority allows for APN to prescribe up to Schedule V Controlled Substances as long as the APN is authorized by the supervising physician (NCSL & ASTHO, 2018). Other guidelines that regulate APN scope of practice in Georgia are APNs must complete a specified number of regulated relationship practice hours with a physician or fully licensed independent NP before being allowed to practice or prescribe medications independently.

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Licensure and educational requirements include an RN license, a graduate degree, and a national certification. Both the undergraduate and graduate degrees must be issued by an approved nursing education program from an institution meeting criterion established by the Georgia Board of Nursing. After receiving a graduate degree, an APN must become certified in the specialty he or she wishes to practice. The Georgia Board of Nursing recognizes four APN specialties: Nurse practitioner (NP), Certified nurse-midwife (CNM), Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), Clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric/mental health (CNS/PMH). APN must register with an independent national certification agency that facilitates the licensing process, as each one establishes its own requirements regarding education, professional experience, and examination information and costs. After earning a nursing graduate degree, acquiring a national certification in one of the approved specialty areas, and receiving background and fingerprint clearance from the Georgia Crime Information Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an APN in Georgia can file an application with the Georgia Board of Nursing located in Macon, Georgia for authorization as an advanced practice nurse.

Personal Assessment

According to Benner’s Role Self-Assessment Model, I would classify myself as a “proficient” nurse who is working on becoming an “expert” nurse. As a proficient nurse, I observe clinical situations as “wholes.” My nursing skills are a combination of education and experience. I have developed a “holistic” method of managing illness and disease, and I recognize clinical situations and how treatment plans should be applied or modified to better serve my patients. My MSN specialty track is FNP, and my future goals include securing a position as a nursing manager over an LTC facility, becoming an active member of the Georgia Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA) and The Georgia Association of Nurses in Long Term Care (GANLTC), and eventually advocating for organizations like the International Council of Nurses (ICN) that shape nursing and health policies on an international level. Achieving these goals will not be easy; it will take obtaining more health specialty certifications and possibly a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Nursing Leadership & Innovations in Health Care. It will also take networking and volunteering in state, national, and global health organizations. Obtaining an award or two for outstanding nursing and community service is also another goal.

My strengths and weaknesses have often changed throughout my lifetime and over the course of my career as a nurse. I have made a continuous effort to hone my strengths and improve upon my weaknesses. One of my strengths is patience. I primarily work with older patients or patients living with chronic diseases who are struggling to let go of their independence. I have learned to listen to patients’ and help them adjust to their current health situations. I have learned to really talk to them about their life experiences, joys, and fears. On any given day, I am confronted with dementia care, urinary incontinence, pressure ulcers, or simple refusal of care. In order to be an effective and compassionate nurse, I had to develop a deeper understanding of the clinical conditions of the patients I serve and how these conditions affect them on every level. Other strengths I have developed are emotional and physical endurance, an attention to detail, flexibility, and problem solving. My weaknesses are being too direct and not asking for help when my workload becomes too heavy. Working on my weaknesses is a goal because as a future nursing leader, I must learn to delegate responsibilities and communicate well.

Networking and Marketing Strategies

Networking and marketing myself are essential to my professional development. The best way for me to network is to begin at my current educational institution. I can attend connect with fellow students and alumni who are involved in campus organizations. Once I have established a reputable presence on campus, I can join a professional nursing association or two that align with my nursing specialty and interests. These associations host formal and informal networking functions. I can attend webinars and join virtual chat and message boards that encourage discussion about nursing and health related topics. One national organization that I will join is The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and a state organization I am interested in joining is The Georgia Association of Nurses in Long Term Care. Marketing myself includes attending conferences where I can pass out business cards that include my LinkedIn profile link and other links to sites that showcase my involvement in the community, nursing organizations, and campus events.

Securing a job as an APN may seem easy because of the “nursing shortage,” but competition is high among nurses to secure their dream job. Specialty nursing jobs are rarely found on saturated jobs boards like Indeed and Monster. Local and national professional organizations that advertise employment opportunities that may interest me are the Georgia Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA), the Georgia Association of Nurses in Long Term Care (GANLTC), the United Advanced Practice Registered Nurses of Georgia, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. These organizations have established career centers for nursing professionals. Each of these organizations have job boards, resume assistance, and articles on interview pointers. These organizations also have Student Resource Centers that post scholarships and grants for graduate students, ways to connect with other APN nursing students and professionals, and information on how to negotiate salary and obtain nursing certifications.

The Program of Study (POS) for your specialization and the Professional Development Plan (PDP) help you to become familiar with the courses you will take, when they will be completed, and how the degree program fits into your overall academic and professional goals. For this Assignment, you write a Professional Development Plan to submit to the Week 5 Assignment submission link.

Throughout your degree program you will create a professional portfolio. In each course, one Assignment will be designated for inclusion in your portfolio. This portfolio provides a rich opportunity to evidence your growth as a scholar-practitioner. For this course, your PDP will serve as the artifact for your Portfolio.

Note: As you progress through the program, ensure that you save all of your portfolio assignments on your computer and to backup those files to a secure device such as a flash drive or external hard drive. You will have a variety of Instructors throughout your program, and it is your responsibility to save these assignments for your portfolio.

TIP: Create a new folder for each course on your computer’s hard drive using the course number and title. Within each course folder, create an additional folder and label it “Portfolio.” Then, save the Portfolio assignment with a clear title such as “Professional Development Plan.”

To prepare:

Review the information on the Program of Study (POS) and Professional Development Plan (PDP) presented in this week’s Learning Resources.

Review the Week 5 Assignment Rubric presented in this week’s Learning Resources.

Develop your Professional Development Plan (PDP) following the example presented in the Learning Resources and the assignment grading rubric criteria. Ensure that all content required is included in paper.

By Day 7

To complete:

Utilizing Microsoft Word, begin by formatting the paper in correct APA (i.e. title page, double space, Times New Roman size 12 font, headers, page numbers, headings).

To ensure that all content required is included in the paper, review Week 5 Professional Development Plan assignment rubric and the Professional Development Plan example.

Write your PDP using scholarly writing, correct grammar, and proper APA citations. Review the APA Basics Checklist: Citations, Reference List, and Style to make sure that your citations are correct. This document should represent your best professional effort.

Professional Development Plan

As graduate study in nursing begins, identifying the program of study and professional development plan aligned with personal and professional goals is crucial. The purpose of this assignment is to provide a description of my educational and professional background as well as explore professional and personal goals related to the course and the practicum.

Education and Professional Background

My name is Florence Nightingale and I want to start by giving you some insight into my personal life. I currently reside in Orange County, California, where the military has placed my family. I am an army wife, an associate degree nurse, and a mother of two boys. From a small town in Virginia, my only opportunity to obtain a higher education degree was to attend a local college that offered a two-year degree in nursing. I had an opportunity to begin my chosen profession early, having a family, and never have to worry about finding employment. I always knew I wanted to increase my knowledge and do more. Year after year it seemed impossible to go back to school in the traditional way, since raising small children and moving interfered with finishing a degree.

Nursing has been the most rewarding career. It is not a job to me but my life. My formal education began in 1989 at a branch of Kent State University. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1993. Working and going to school full-time put a strain on my grade point average (GPA), but the experience helped me grow both professionally and personally to an independent self-motivated practitioner.

Currently, I work in an endoscopy department where I developed many standard operating procedure guidelines which are being utilized throughout the hospital. I am also planning to obtain my Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA) certification this year. Another certification workshop I plan to attend is a nurse management seminar in July. Currently, I hold certifications in basic life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), pediatric advanced life support (PALS) and conscious sedation. Prior certifications held were electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation and neurology assessment.

My experiences are very diverse which has made me flexible, efficient, and have given me a broad knowledge base. The different areas of expertise include neurology, orthopedics, urology, day surgery, endoscopy, telemetry, home health, recovery, and research-based projects. In many of these fields I was chosen to take on leadership roles such as charge nurse, team leader, preceptor, computer specialist, educator, and admission/discharge specialist. I like new challenges at work. Being involved in leadership roles confirmed my desire to advance my career in leadership and administration.

Professional Goals

My personal goal is to do my best in all that I do and make a difference in people’s lives. My professional goal is to obtain my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with the specialty being in leadership and management. Reflecting on the University’s vision and mission statement, it is a privilege to attend this graduate level program in order to learn how to positively transform society for the greater global good.

As a professional, I want to personally make society a better place, not only for my children, but for all the children of the future. Also, this specialization gives me a way to make a difference in the community around me that would not be possible at my current degree status. My experience has proven that to be a great leader, you must first serve. As a professional, I desire to serve my community through various outreach programs that will provide members with the tools and information needed to improve overall health and wellness. I also desire to make a difference as a leader in the organization I serve. I want to transform the landscape of positively managing and leading staff. Lastly, I wish to obtain certification in my field as a nurse leader. I am looking forward to accomplishing my professional goals and making a difference.

Course Outcomes

At first, being an adult in a learning atmosphere was a challenge for me. Through this course, I have developed the skills necessary to function proficiently as an online learner. I learned how to navigate through the various platform areas and more importantly, the resources available to assist all students as they transition into an online learning environment. In addition, I have learned new strategies that are helping me improve my ability to plan and manage my time as a student while obtaining resources, using technology, and communicating effectively in the online environment. Lastly, I developed sound knowledge of academic integrity and the importance of crediting sources.

Although there are many areas this course has helped me improve upon, continued growth is still needed. Since I have not been in a student role for many years, American Psychological Association (APA) style of writing is new to me. This is where Walden’s online program can help me reach my goals without sacrificing my commitment to my family. In order to grow in my knowledge of APA, I plan to view several webinars offered by the Walden Writing Center on this topic. In addition, I will seek out feedback from the Writing Center tutors on written assignments.

Practicum

I view the practicum as an exceptionally important part of the Master’s education. I began planning for the practicum in leadership on the day I was accepted into Walden’s nursing program. I contacted a nurse manager, Victoria Smith, from a local acute care institution. I know of Smith’s work and reputation as a nurse leader in our community. Smith agreed to serve as my preceptor when it is time for me to enroll in the practicum. Although this will happen in two years, Smith feels confident that she will continue to be in the current position and have the flexibility to mentor a student.

During my practicum experience, I would like to develop and implement a nurse preceptor program. In this program, I would like to develop several classes for experienced nurses that want to become preceptors for new employees and graduate nurses. I believe more needs to be done when it comes to preceptors understanding their role and how they can be successful at meeting the needs of new employees and graduates.

Summary

I am excited for the journey ahead. I believe my experience and past education has prepared me to be successful as I pursue my MSN degree. Moreover, as a graduate prepared nurse, Walden will provide me with the knowledge and tools necessary to make a positive impact in the world around me. Since starting back to school is a new experience, especially the online program, I am planning to view webinars and to seek assistance from Writing Center tutors to learn more about APA writing style. My degree completion date is February 2016. I look forward to expanding my knowledge base as a scholar practitioner through Walden University.

Professional Development Plan

Help Info: Creating a Personal/Professional Development Plan

This assignment is due Week 4 and is introduced to you Week 1 to provide sufficient time for you to reflect, research and design a personalized professional development plan. Why does the professional MSN nurse need a Professional Development Plan? Purpose? What should and should not be included? Where do you start? Each nurse’s professional plan should be based on personal and professional goals. There is a reason you enrolled in an MSN program at this point in your life/career.

Consider reading the IOM report (in your Week 1) reading list. Underline each time the report cites the importance of preparing for leadership! The Future of Nursing report (Institute of Medicine, 2010) clearly calls for nursing to shape its own future, which requires nurses to be prepared as leaders who can lead change to improve the nation’s health through the leadership and influence of nurses! It is therefore essential for the professional nurse to take the time to assess their own personal leadership style. See Module 3 progress section for info on leadership styles! Here’s a site with good info. https://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/wp- (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. content/uploads/2014/10/NHSLeadership-LeadershipModel-colour.pdf Ethical leadership development is another critical component of the nurse leader. How do we develop our ethical leadership? What skills are a component of ethical leadership? These and many more questions are what you need to consider as you sit and write your own personal/professional development paper. Another help is to read Chapter 4 of your textbook (Roussel, Thomas & Harris). The first few chapters clearly identify the “why” nurses must prepare for leadership. Next step, review the rubric and start writing!

NR 510 Week 6:APN Professional Development Plan Paper Assignment

APN Professional Development Plan Paper – The Professional Development Plan Paper is due by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. MT end of Week 6. The guidelines and grading rubric for this assignment are located in the Course Resource section.

Nursing Professional Development Plan Sample