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Running head: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1

Professional Development Plan

Annie Cordova

Ferris State University

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2

Abstract

After comparing the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) nine standards of professional

practice to my current nursing practice, I am able to identify my strengths and weaknesses in

relation to each standard. The information I have gathered through this process has enabled me to

formulate a professional development plan with measurable goals for five and ten years into the

future.


Professional Development Plan

In 2012, the American Nurses Association (ANA) published a set of sixteen standards to

measure professional performance. The goal of these standards are to enabled registered nurses

to compare their current practices to the expectations of the nursing profession. The first six

standards are based on the nursing process and will not be addressed in this paper. Standards

seven through sixteen will be referenced and through the use these standards, I will assess my

nursing practice and identify my strengths and weaknesses according to each standard. In

addition I will develop short and long term goals which will serve as my plan for career and

professional development.

ANA Standards of Professional Performance

Ethics

Standard seven states the nurse will practice ethically. According to the ANA ethics are

"part of the foundation of nursing, providing the basis for nurses' commitment to society to

provide and ensure safe and quality patient care" (American Nurses Association, 2012, p.115).

While there is a code of ethics in place for all nurses I feel I hold myself to an additional ethical

standard. Although I now work for a McLaren subsidy, when I hired in as a graduate nurse the

values of Northern Michigan Regional Hospital (NMRH) clearly stated we were to treat our

patients as we would our family. While management has changed this is still a value I hold to in

my practice. Living in a small town it is important to hold this view. There actually are many

times I am treating the family members of friends and co-workers. This brings to light another

important ethical consideration. Patient confidentiality is crucial. I find myself to be very

proficient in this area. If there is a patient I know too well or feel they would be uncomfortable

with me caring for them, I speak up and request not to have the patient in my assignment. I never


want to jeopardize the nurse patient relationship. It is the nurse that must preserve patient rights

and help maintain their dignity.

We have an ethics committee McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital (MNM).

Unfortunately there has been an instance when I was involved with this committee. MNM

encourages us to fill out colleague concern forms if there is ever a situation that we feel needs to

be examined further. I have filled out one such form relating to a physician who expected me to

do something that was out of my scope of practice. I refused the physician and followed up by

completing the form. I am not afraid to stand up for what is right when it comes to my patients

and their care.

Education

The ANA defines this standard as, “the registered nurse attains knowledge and

competency that reflect current nursing practice” (ANA, 2012, p.123). There are designated

amounts of continuing education units required every two years by the state of Michigan to

maintain my nursing license. In addition to these credits, there is also required education at

MNM. All clinical employees are required to maintain Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

every two years and employees working in critical care areas also must maintain Advanced

Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification every two years. Although I do not work in a critical

care unit I have still attained ACLS certification as I feel I owe it to my patients to be prepared.

Emergencies can happen in any hospital unit.

I also serve as a preceptor at MNM. We have a preceptor program that I completed six

months ago and I just completed my first orientation of a new employee. Being a preceptor

involves staying educated in practices and understanding the rationale behind them. Education is

an area that I can strive to build upon. I am currently working on my Bachelor’s degree in


nursing (BSN) through Ferris State University (FSU), with the hope of eventually earning a

Master’s degree in nursing (MSN). I would also like to become a certified Orthopedic nurse. At

MNM, we have a clinical advancement ladder program. Completing this program is a goal I have

also set for myself. I believe all nurses should be lifelong learners. With all the changes in

technology and in healthcare, it is imperative to stay current in your practice.

Evidence Based Practice and Research

The research professional performance standard is defined as “the registered nurse

integrates research findings into practice” (ANA, 2012, p.133). At MNM we have a research

department as well as a Nursing Research and EBP committee. As a member of the NR and EBP

council, I have been involved in policy changes related to nursing research. Currently I am

working with the council on a study regarding journaling and patients perception of pain. As a

member of the Unit Based Council for the Orthopedic and Neurology floor I have been able to

assist with coordinating this study. We are using the Hip and Knee Artroplasty patient population

as our study group. The study will be complete in February of 2014 and the findings will be

published. If the finding are changes in practice will follow.

While I feel this is an area I am strong in there is still room for improvement. I should be

a member of a nursing organization so I can receive the latest articles out there about pertinent

topics.

Quality of Practice

The ANA defines the quality of practice standard as “the registered nurse contributes to

quality nursing practice” (ANA, 2010, p.145). At MNM, we have a Bright Idea program in

which colleagues are encouraged to submit ideas for quality and cost improvements. Colleagues


are required to submit at least one per calendar year. Some of the suggestions often require a

committee to be formed to analyze and research the information further.

As mentioned previously I serve on the Unit Based Council for my floor. This committee

currently consists of 10 people from my departments that meet on a monthly basis. This

committee monitors issues within the unit. We monitor hospital wide surveys like the Moorhead

Quality Nursing Survey which questions nurses about working environment, management and

safety. When these survey results are compiled and presented to use we find the weak areas.

After we identify the areas for improvement, we formulate an action plan to improve those areas.

In addition we conduct our own surveys among employees on the unit to identify areas they are

unhappy with. For example, nurses disliked the crowding in the patient rooms. So we looked at

our rooms and found areas where we could revamp the layout to improve this. We removed

patient dressers, made kits for dressing supplies that we placed in the patient closet and

purchased padded folding chairs for visitors that could be hung on the wall when not in use.

This council also seeks to improve the patient experience on our unit. We monitor Hospital

Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAPHS) data. This data is

compiled through the questioning of patients about their healthcare experience on our unit.

Patient's have consistently rated their education about medication side effects on the low end. So

we developed color coded cards for the nurses, educated the nurses on the importance of this,

and placed reminders on the computers used for medication administration. We have seen an

improvement of scores since this was implemented a year ago.

This is an area I feel I have strength in. There always research opportunities in the

nursing field therefore I can always find new challenges and ways to improve nursing practice.


Communication

Standard 11 states "the registered nurse communicates effectively in a variety of formats

in all areas of practice (ANA, 2012, p. 153). Effective communication is an area of strength for

me as well. I pride myself on my ability to communicate with my patients effectively no matter

what their education level. I work to get to know them and where they are in the understanding

of their disease process or condition. I had a great instructor who once told me to meet the

learner where they are and take them where you want them to be. You cannot expect someone to

meet you on your level if they do not know how to get there. This is always in the forefront of

my mind when educating my patients.

I am also effective in interactions with members of the interdisciplinary team. I have seen

nurses who talk down to members of their team like respiratory therapists or patient care techs.

This action does nothing for collegiality. I feel we must look at each other as equals. It takes all

of us to ensure our patients get what they need, we each contribute to the care. I feel even the

physicians are learning this at MNM. While some still talk down to nurses most treat us with

respect. Part of this comes from developing a relationship with the physicians, techs, and

therapists. I make it a habit to only call for important issues and if there is ever a way to address

more than one problem at a time I do so. Working nights the doctors appreciate one phone call

rather than ten. Also all of the departments are busy and shorter staffed at night so whenever I

can save them time or additional trips to our unit I do so.

At MNM we recently implemented bedside report which has integrated the patients into

our change of shift report. There has been some resistance to the process as there always is with

change but it is taking hold and patients seem to like the inclusion.


Leadership

The ANA defines leadership as “the registered nurse provides leadership in the

professional practice setting and the profession” (ANA, 2012, p.163). As a nurse we are

automatically put in a leadership role. We are expected to lead our patients in recovery. We lead

our colleagues such as patient care techs, unit clerks, dietary and even other nurses to ensure the

designated plan of care for the patient is followed.

I believe that being a preceptor for new colleagues falls under this standard also. As a

preceptor you serve as a mentor and demonstrate energy and excitement for the work you do. I

am a loyal employee at MNM, where I have been employed for three years and continue to

volunteer and serve on various committees throughout the hospital.

Leadership is one of my weaker areas. I often shy away from leadership roles and choose

to follow others even on our committees. For instance, I have been asked to be the chair of both

the Unit Based Practice council and the EBP council since I have been a member for three years.

I have turned them down. I know leadership is important but I do not feel I am prepared to be an

effective leader at this point. Perhaps once I have more BSN courses I will feel better prepared.

Collaboration

The ANA defines collaboration as “the registered nurse collaborates with healthcare

consumers, family, and others in the conduct of nursing practice” (ANA, 2012, p.173). This is a

very important part of professional performance. When someone is hospitalized, the patient and

their family rely on the nurse for information. Nurses work twelve hour shifts at MNM so we

spend a large portion of the day with patients. The physicians often look to the nurse for updates

or concerns the family might have. Often, it is the nurse who helps translate information to the


patient and the patient’s families. It is the nurse that becomes an advocate for the patient and the

patient’s family. The nurse can initiate referrals as needed to the social worker or chaplain.

The nurse is responsible for creating an individualized plan of care for each patient that they care

for. It is important that care plans are reviewed regularly and are updated to reflect any new

issues that have arisen related to the patient. Keeping the care plan updated allows for improved

communication between other healthcare providers taking care of the patient.

The care planning process is an area I lack skills in to some extent. Since I work nights I

am not present for care conferences with the patients and their families. So I see collaboration

from the colleague standpoint. I have found there are opportunities to participate in patient care

by sharing ideas with the day shift nurses and care coordinators through email or nursing notes.

Professional Practice Evaluation

The ANA defines this standard as “the registered nurse evaluates one’s own nursing

practice in relation to professional practice standards and guidelines, relevant statutes, rules, and

regulations” (ANA, 2004, p.36). In our department, we are required to complete peer evaluations

on three of our fellow coworkers annually. Our manager randomly distributes these evaluations

and she expects honest feedback regarding our peers. Along with our yearly performance

evaluation, we also must complete a self evaluation. Our unit manager designates a time to

discusses our performance privately. During this time she will also discuss the peer feedback she

received as well as her observations on our performance. We mutually agree on goals to set for

the following year. I would like to expand upon this area of professional performance. One of my

goals would be to challenge the clinical ladder. The clinical ladder at MNM is a measurement

tool to determine the level of experience the registered nurse has obtained. It is based on

Benner's Stages of Nursing Proficiency. There are five levels, novice to expert( Chitty & Black,


2011, p. 137). The first three levels are awarded automatically based on years of practice. So

after three years in my position, I am a Registered Nurse III. This is the highest level I can

achieve without challenging the ladder. This process requires analyzing my current professional

practice and compiling a curriculum vitae. I find the self evaluation the hardest part of this

process. It seems I am always harder on myself than others. It is difficult for me to not focus on

all of the ways I can better my practice rather than all the ways in which I have already

improved. However, I feel this is a strength as well as a weakness.

Resource Utilization

The ANA defines resource utilization as “the registered nurse utilizes appropriate

resources to plan and provide nursing services that are safe, effective and fiscally responsible”

(ANA, 2012, p.193). Our hospital requires calculation and documentation of a fall risk score for

each patient every twelve hours. If the patient is scored at a high fall risk and demonstrates

behaviors that put him/her at risk for falling then certain interventions may be put into place,

such as moving the patient closer to the nurses’ station or having a safety companion remain with

the patient until their fall risk score decreases.

In our unit we also work closely with our discharge planner and help identify possible

needs when the patient is discharged. Once those needs are recognized the nurses assist with

coordinating the services needed for the patient. For instance, the total joint arthroplasty patients

on our unit are often sent home on Lovenox injections. Most insurances require pre authorization

for this medication. Often times we provide a "dummy" script to the family members however if

they are unable to get to a pharmacy, I often call the prescription in to their pharmacy. We also

call in scripts prior to discharge so they can be ready when the patient leaves the hospital.


I make it a priority in my practice to know what resources are available for my patients as

well as for myself and fellow nurses. Our facility provides numerous online programs for

education and nurse resources. We have Mosby's skills, Lexis Nexis, and an extensive library. I

use these tools often to provide education for my patients.

Environmental Health

The final standard is environmental health. According to the ANA the "registered nurse

practices in an environmentally safe and healthy manner" (ANA. 2012, p. 201). The number one

way I honor this standard is through the practice of good hand hygiene. At MNM we have an

initiative called "Wash in, wash out". This process consists of washing hands or use hand

sanitizer before or upon entering a patients room and when leaving their room. We are also to

use it after touching the patient within the room. The infection prevention department has been

diligent with this practice and even places anonymous observers within each unit on each shift to

ensure employees are practicing this habit. Each department is scored monthly and those scores

are posted throughout the unit by our manager.

In addition we practice the use of personal protective equipment and precautions. We

recently implemented the use of bleach wipes for rooms with C. diff patients rather than Cavi

wipes.

A personal practice I have is to clean my stethoscope between patient use. We have

disinfectant wipes on all nurse servers so on my way out of the room I grab one and wipe down

all parts.

Finally, MNM has begun the implementation of using "green" supplies for patients and

staff. All disposable utensils, cups, plates are made from recycled materials. We also have


recycling bins on all units. We have begun recycling batteries and even send our SCD sleeves

back to the manufacturer to be refurbished.

Five Year Goal Plan

In five years I expect to have earned advancement in the clinical ladder program. The

program requires the applicant to be certified in their specialty area and have completed their

BSN degree. In order to achieve the clinical ladder goal, I must first obtain my Orthopedic Nurse

Certification (ONC). This certification test is offered four times per year with the first test date in

August so I am setting this as my first goal to be completed by January 2015. Meanwhile, I will

continue to pursue my education through Ferris and hope to have my BSN completed by May

2015. This date may have to be reevaluated if I were to change the amount of classes taken in a

given semester. Once these two goals are completed then I can apply for advancement on the

clinical ladder. I have set a tentative goal for clinical ladder advancement by August of 2015.

Another goal I plan to achieve in the next five years is to begin teaching clinicals for North

Central Michigan College or Lake Superior State University at MNM. The requirements for

teaching clinicals is a BSN so once my degree is complete in 2015 I can apply for a position. My

hope is to start in September of 2015 ( See Appendix A).

Ten Year Goal Plan

My ten year plan consists of two goals at this time. I hope to have completed my MSN

degree by no later than January of 2019. I plan to earn my MSN through Ferris State University

as well. My focus will be Nursing Education (Ferris State University, 2013). The second goal I

have set is to hire into a position as a nursing educator. I would ultimately like to teach at North

Central Michigan College (NCMN) or work in Clinical Education at MNM ( See Appendix A).


Evaluation

All of my goals are attainable as long as I dedicate myself. My BSN plan is to take six to

eight credits per semester. MNM offers some tuition reimbursement to help defer a portion of the

cost. I have also applied for scholarships through Ferris and MNM foundation. The biggest

challenge I face is time constraints due to personal commitments.

As far as ONC certification is concerned MNM will reimburse the testing fee as long as I

pass the exam so cost is not a factor. Also I am give a raise for completing the certification.

My ten year goals while attainable are contingent on many factors. There are still two

years before I finish my BSN so I am unsure how the requirements for the MSN program will

change in that time. Also I have to decide if I want complete the bridged program or not. As far

getting a position as a professor at NCMC or a clinical educator at MNM, it will depend on if

there is a job available and how many other candidates there are for the position.

Conclusion

After completion of this assignment I am surprised at how much I have accomplished

since becoming a registered nurse three years ago. By comparing my current professional

practice to the standards published by the ANA I have discovered my strengths as well as my

weaknesses. I have now set some goals for myself for the next five and ten years. Sometimes I

leave after working my shift and I feel as if I just given basic patient care. However, now I can

see how I do so much more. I will not lose sight of these goals as they play a pivotal role in the

successful outcome of my nursing career.


References

American Nurses Association. (2012). The Essential Guide to Nursing Practice. Silver

Spring, MD: Nursesbooks.org.

Chitty, K. K., & Black, B. P. (2011). Professional nursing: Concepts and challenges. (6 ed.).

Maryland Heights, Missouri: Saunders Elsevier.

Ferris State University. (2013, June 10). Master of science in nursing. Retrieved from Web Site:

http://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/colleges/alliedhe/Nursing/MSN-program/HOME-

Nursing-MSN.htm


Appendix A

Five Year Goals Planned Completion

Join Professional Organization January 2014

Specialty Certification January 2015

Complete BSN May 2015

Challenge Clinical Ladder August 2015

Begin Teaching Clinicals at MNM September 2015

Chair Organizational Council January 2016

Ten Year Goals

Complete MSN program January 2019

Obtain Nurse Educator Position September 2019


CHECK DATE, TIME, & INITIAL

PROOFREAD FOR: APA ISSUE

AC 8/4 1. Page Numbers: Did you number your pages using the automatic functions of your Word program? [p. 230 and example on p. 40)]

AC 8/4 2. Running head: Does the Running head: have a small “h”? Is it on every page? Is it less than 50 spaces total? Is the title of the Running head in all caps? Is it 1” from the top of your title page? (Should be a few words from the title of your paper). [p. 229 and example on p. 40]

AC 8/4 3. Abstract: Make sure your abstract begins on a new page. Is there a label of Abstract and it is centered at the top of the page? Is it a single paragraph? Is the paragraph flush with the margin without an indentation? Is your abstract a summary of your entire paper? Remember it is not an introduction to your paper. Someone should be able to read the abstract and know what to find in your paper. [p. 25 and example on p. 41]

AC 8/4 4. Introduction: Did you repeat the title of your paper on your first page of content? Do not use ‘Introduction’ as a heading following the title. The first paragraph clearly implies the introduction and no heading is needed. [p. 27 and example on p. 42]

AC 8/4 5. Margins: Did you leave 1” on all sides? [p. 229]

AC 8/4 6. Double-spacing: Did you double-space throughout? No triple or extra spaces between sections or paragraphs except in special circumstances. This includes the reference page. [p. 229 and example on p. 40-59]

AC 8/4 7. Line Length and Alignment: Did you use the flush-left style, and leave the right margin uneven, or ragged? [p. 229]

AC 8/4 8. Paragraphs and Indentation: Did you indent the first line of every paragraph? See P. 229 for exceptions.

AC 8/4 9. Spacing After Punctuation Marks: Did you space once at the end of separate parts of a reference and initials in a person’s name? Do not space after periods in abbreviations. Space twice after punctuation marks at the end of a sentence. [p. 87-88]

AC 8/4 10. Typeface: Did you use Times Roman 12-point font? [p. 228]

AC 8/4 9. Abbreviation: Did you explain each abbreviation the first time you used it? [p. 106-111]

AC 8/4 11. Plagiarism: Cite all sources! If you say something that is not your original idea, it must be cited. You may be citing many times…this is what you are supposed to be doing! [p. 170]

AC 8/4 12. Direct Quote: A direct quote is exact words taken from another. An example with


citation would look like this:

“The variables that impact the etiology and the human response to various disease states will be explored” (Bell-Scriber, 2007, p. 1).

Please note where the quotation marks are placed, where the final period is placed, no first name of author, and inclusion of page number, etc. Do all direct quotes look like this? [p. 170-172]

N/A 13. Quotes Over 40 Words: Did you make block quotes out of any direct quotes that are 40 words or longer? [p. 170-172]

AC 8/4 14. Paraphrase: A paraphrase citation would look like this:

Patients respond to illnesses in various ways depending on a number of factors that will be explored (Bell-Scriber, 2007). Do all paraphrased citations look like this? [p. 171 and multiple examples in text on p. 40-59]

AC 8/4 15. Headings: Did you check your headings for proper levels? [p. 62-63].

AC 8/4 16. General Guidelines for References:

A. Did you start the References on a new page? [p. 37]

B. Did you cut and paste references on your reference page? If so, check to make sure they are in correct APA format. Often they are not and must be adapted. Make sure all fonts are the same.

C. Is your reference list double spaced with hanging indents? [p. 37]

PROOFREAD FOR GRAMMAR, SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, & STRUCTURE

AC 8/4 13. Did you follow the assignment rubric? Did you make headings that address each major section? (Required to point out where you addressed each section.)

AC 8/4 14. Watch for run-on or long, cumbersome sentences. Read it out loud without pausing unless punctuation is present. If you become breathless or it doesn’t make sense, you need to rephrase or break the sentence into 2 or more smaller sentences. Did you do this?

AC 8/4 15. Wordiness: check for the words “that”, and “the”. If not necessary, did you omit?

AC 8/4 16. Conversational tone: Don’t write as if you are talking to someone in a casual way. For example, “Well so I couldn’t believe nurses did such things!” or “I was in total shock over that.” Did you stay in a formal/professional tone?

AC 8/4 17. Avoid contractions. i.e. don’t, can’t, won’t, etc. Did you spell these out?

AC 8/4 18. Did you check to make sure there are no hyphens and broken words in the right margin?


AC 8/4 19. Do not use “etc.” or "i.e." in formal writing unless in parenthesis. Did you check for improper use of etc. & i.e.?

AC 8/4 20. Stay in subject agreement. When referring to 1 nurse, don’t refer to the nurse as “they” or “them”. Also, in referring to a human, don’t refer to the person as “that”, but rather “who”. For example: The nurse that gave the injection….” Should be “The nurse who gave the injection…” Did you check for subject agreement? Likewise, don’t refer to “us”, “we”, “our”, within the paper…this is not about you and me. Be clear in identifying. For example don’t say “Our profession uses empirical data to support ….” . Instead say “The nursing profession uses empirical data…..

AC 8/4 21. Did you check your sentences to make sure you did not end them with a preposition? For example, “I witnessed activities that I was not happy with.” Instead, “I witnessed activities with which I was not happy.”

AC 8/4 22. Did you run a Spellcheck? Did you proofread in addition to running the Spellcheck?

AC 8/4 23. Did you have other people read your paper? Did they find any areas confusing?

AC 8/4 24. Did you include a summary or conclusion heading and section to wrap up your paper?

AC 8/4 25. Do not use “we” “us” “our” “you” “I” etc. in a formal paper! Did you remove these words?

AC 8/4 26. Does your paper have sentence fragments? Do you have complete sentences?

AC 8/4 27. Did you check apostrophes for correct possessive use. Don’t use apostrophes unless it is showing possession and then be sure it is in the correct location. The exception is with the word it. It’s = it is. Its is possessive.

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