Nursing Professional Development Specialist - Emergency Department

About the role

The Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPDS) works under the direction of department leadership, and collaboratively with stakeholders and others in leadership to support clinical employee education within Patient Care Services and across the health system as indicated. The NPDS is responsible for assuring that practice changes and educational outcomes are measurable and are in alignment with the design and planning of programming.

Responsibilities

The NPDS serves as a learning facilitator, change agent, mentor, leader, champion for inquiry, advocate for NPD Specialty, and partner for practice transitions. They work with leadership and stakeholder representatives to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations and corporate/hospital policy.

• Develops educational activities to address practice gaps for identified target audiences, to include licensed and non-licensed healthcare personnel.
• Determines appropriate interventions incorporating theories pertaining to learning, behavioral change, and motivation.
• Demonstrates use of current evidence-based education guidelines during implementation of educational programs.
• Develops, coordinates, facilitates, conducts, and evaluates orientation programs for nursing and other healthcare personnel to guide the new hire towards job competency.
• Supports ongoing assessment and evaluation of performance.
• Collaborates with unit leadership teams in prioritizing competency selection and selection of instructional strategies to meet learning objectives.
• Assesses staff and stakeholder readiness to change and communicates opportunity for change to staff.
• Promotes a culture in which staff understand the direct relationship between their role and the business of the organization.
• Motivates staff to take ownership of change and collaborates with leadership and stakeholders to support change.
• Assesses knowledge, skill, and practice gaps within departments, differentiating between practice gaps, performance issues, and process/system issues.
• Ensures realistic, achievable outcomes that are created in collaboration with key stakeholders and subject matter experts.
• Serves as a role model and promotes a healthy work environment, professionalism, and just culture.
• Collaborates with interprofessional partners to share expertise in planning and decision making to achieve the desired results to deliver the highest quality of care.
• Champions inquiry through promotion of EBP and QI in patient care settings.

Qualifications

• Registered Nursing License in the State of Virginia or Registered Nurse holding a valid Compact State license.
• Certification in Nursing Professional Development (NPD) required within 3 years of placement into position.
• Basic Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support required and/or must be obtained within 45 days of hire.

Requirements

• Master of Science in Nursing required. May consider a BSN for internal nurse candidates with applicable experience and active enrollment in a master’s program who are within 1 year of completion from date of hire.
• 1-2 years of relevant pediatric/neonatal clinical experience required.

Skills

• Knowledge of current and emerging trends in technology, including maintenance of databases and records, to support learning.
• Ability to coordinate and provide education and training to staff from different professional backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently and problem solve, as well as accept guidance and work within a team.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to build collegial and professional relationships from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, to include public speaking.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and ability to utilize Excel and Adobe acrobat.