How to make the most of professional development as a nurse & why it’s important

Professional development is an important part of the success and career advancement of a nurse. With rapid changes in technology, healthcare innovation, best practice standards, and government regulations, professional development is a crucial part of a nurse's career.

It’s also  a lifelong journey. For some, this may be pursuing career advancement, attaining higher education, or becoming certified. For all, it is seeking new knowledge and professional improvement strategies in order to be a proficient and skilled nurse working at the highest scope of practice. 

Professional development is the continuing process, outside formal undergraduate and postgraduate training, that allows us to maintain and improve standards of practice through the development of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavior. Professional development should also encompass specific changes in practice. 

For many nurses, the largest obstacle in attaining professional development is knowing what it is and how to pursue it. Too often it is assumed that advancing a degree is the only way to develop professionally. There are many opportunities through continuing education, nursing certification, leadership courses, joining a professional organization, becoming a member of an organizational council, and a multitude of informal programs to assist you in reaching your career and professional goals.

Another detractor is engaging nurses to pursue professional development. During a time of extreme nursing burnout and job fatigue, many nurses have no desire to take on additional professional obligations, especially when these are optional. Barriers such as cost, time, and home responsibilities are also strong considerations for why many nurses lose interest in attaining professional development.

This proposes huge obstacles in professional development among the nursing population that can be harmful to the patients we serve and can lead to stagnant organizational culture.

Developing your professionalism is a great way to improve your practice, deliver higher-quality care to your patients, advance your career, and remain engaged in the nursing profession. Creating your personalized plan can be relatively simple following a few basic steps.

Start small

Simple ways to start the journey of professional development are through connecting with like-minded individuals and thought leaders. Expanding your professional circle is a great way to inspire new ideas and goals. Networking on NurseSocial and other platforms like LinkedIn are great ways to gain new ideas and research ways you would like to develop yourself. Reading articles, watching videos on social media platforms, and listening to podcasts are all fantastic ways to rapidly gain knowledge and strategies to improve yourself. 

Set goals

Teaching nurses how to create personal and professional development plans are important to help them structure measurable, obtainable personal and career goals. Meaningful goals and metrics for career growth are critical to nurses' professional development. Using SMART goals in developing your personalized plan can simplify the process. SMART goals is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely. Using the SMART goal format is an excellent strategy to implement your improvement plan and can also be used to assist your patients in achieving health goals.

Assess your progress

Set time aside each week to review your goals, the steps you are taking to implement your plan, and evaluate the effectiveness of your progress. Make necessary adjustments when needed and take time to relish in your successes. Be sure to give yourself grace when needed. Taking steps to improve yourself as a nurse is not easy, but the rewards are endless.

Reflect and evaluate

Taking time to reflect on your progress and the plan you created to achieve your professional development goals is a great way to provide feedback to yourself. Freshening up your resume each year is an excellent way to reflect on where you’ve been and where you would like to be. Ongoing professional evaluation, self-reflection, and making adjustments are key components and crucial to meeting your goals. Small changes multiply into considerable changes that are often difficult to recognize along the way, yet make all the difference. 

I developed a professional development plan for myself a few years ago and then again more recently making further adjustments. It has made all the difference, both professionally and personally. Making big changes or even incremental changes can be scary, stressful, and hard to do. Getting started can be the most difficult step. Think about what type of professional development you would like to see for yourself, set a goal, and then develop and implement your own plan. Start small and build from there. When you look back after putting these changes in place, you will be grateful and proud of yourself that you were able to take that leap of faith.