Continuing Professional Development

This article discusses the importance of Continuing Professional Development for registered nurses. It identifies the learning needs of registered nurses and provides a learning plan to achieve them. The article also discusses the importance of up-to-date knowledge and experience in the nursing fraternity and how to achieve it through various programs.

Continuing Professional Development 1
Continuing Professional Development
Name:
Institution:
Course:
Tutor:
Date:

Continuing Professional Development 2
Identification of Learning Needs
Registered nurses are person-centered and evidence-based with preventative, curative, formative,
supportive, therapeutic and palliative elements that enable to keep individual and the entire
community in a healthy status (Fishman, 2018, p.13). The codes and principles that guide nurses
are set by various agencies across the world such as NMBA and keep on changing according to
the safety needs of the public. As a registered nurse, I identify the following two learning needs:
Up-to-date knowledge and experience and Leadership skills.
Learning needs are the gaps between the leaner’s current status of knowledge and skills against
the level of knowledge required to perform a particular task (Jones-Bell, 2018, p.38). The choice
of leadership skills as learning need is essential to the management of all the patients and the
nursing fraternity by the code of conduct that requires nurses to practice a safe and competent
manner.
Standard number 2: Knowledge- based practice
The standard requires all registered nurses to always practice using informed knowledge relevant
to their registered and scope of practice to ensure quality care to all patients. I can only achieve
this through keeping myself to update. The practices tend to change according to organization
and requirement of the patients, who have different values, believes and culture (Robert-Tuner,
2014, p.19). Additionally, as a nurse is required to continuously adjust my knowledge of various
care issues that are experienced daily and are not taught in class, to enable me to provide better
care to the patients.

Continuing Professional Development 3
Standard number 4: Professional Relationship and leadership
The standard requires all registered nurses to establish professional relationship with the
healthcare and demonstrate leadership to provide quality healthcare services to patients and the
core workers. Therefore, gaining the leadership skills is essential for my profession.
Consequently, the high retiring rate of nurses poses the biggest problem to the healthcare
organizations across the world, hence creating the need for leadership development (Morrison,
2016, p.237). Leadership entails the communication and the interpersonal relationship with other
nursing staffs and the patients. Competency does require not only the skills gained in class but
also the ability to carry out the skills in managing the stakeholders: patents and staffs. The choice
of the second learning need that is to up-to-date knowledge and experience in the nursing
fraternity is based on the conduct that requires all nurses to practice by the standard of the
profession and broader health system.
Learning Plan
Learning plan refers to document that is used to facilitate and manage the learning process of a
student over a period of time.
Learning Goals
My major learning goals will be to obtain more knowledge and experience on the leadership
skills that will make me manage and account for the organizational process to balance the
resources within health facility to promote quality care and patient safety. The second learning
goal is to acquire knowledge and skills that will enable me to update me with the innovative
information and technology to deliver quality patient care.

Continuing Professional Development 4
Learning Plan
Evidence record
Self-directed continuing professional development
Name:
Date Identified
learning
Need
Action Plan Type of
Activity
Description of
topic (s) covered
during activity
and outcome
No./
Title/
Descripti
on of
evidence
provided
CPD
hours
12/01
/2019
Up-to-
date
knowledg
e and
experienc
e in the
nursing
fraternity
Continue
education
program.
Will enroll in
an online
learning
center
especially
Journal about
how studying
postgraduate
palliative care
impact nurse
ability in
practice by
Rawlings D,
2018.
The journal talks
about the
advantages of
continued education
of nurse
professionalism.
Topics that will be
covered include
updated standards
Rawlings
, D.
(2018)
‘Does
studying
postgradu
ate
palliative
care have
5
hours
per
day for
two
years

Continuing Professional Development 5
University of
Mary’s
Nursing
education to
advance my
knowledge on
the skills and
merging ideas
Journal by
and legal
requirements for
nursing practice in
various countries
and organizations.
an impact
on
student’s
ability to
effect
change in
practice?’
, Australi
a an
Journal
of
Advance
d
Nursing,
36(1), pp.
16–24.
Available
at:
http://sea
rch.ebsco
host.com/
login.asp
x?
8
hours
for 3
days

Continuing Professional Development 6
Attend
seminar and
workshops
Fishman
explores the
evolving roles
of registered
nurses that are
taught in such
seminars and
workshops
Topic on Patient
Situating Analysis.
In most cases,
patients situations
needs critical
analysis since either
decision made by
nurse has greater
risks
direct=tru
e&db=ap
h&AN=1
3190584
6&site=e
host-live
(Accesse
d: 17
October
2018).
Fishman,
G. A.
(2018)
‘Attendin
g
Registere
d Nurses:
Evolving
Role
Perceptio
ns in
Clinical

Continuing Professional Development 7
Care
Teams’,
Nursing
Economi
c$, 36(1),
pp. 12–
22.
Available
at:
http://sea
rch.ebsco
host.com/
login.asp
x?
direct=tru
e&db=ap
h&AN=1
2804987
4&site=e
host-live
(Accesse
d: 15
20/10
Leadershi
Will Journal by I will concentrate Glassman 5

Continuing Professional Development 8
/2018 p skills participate in
discussions
between
patient-nurse
and nurse-
nurse
communicatio
ns in building
a team.
Glassman on
Nurse
Manager
Learning
Agility and
Observed
Leadership
Ability.
on nursing
leadership and
emotional
intelligence. The
two topics will help
me have the skills
to lead any nursing
team effectively to
acquire efficient
patient care.
, K. S.
(2018)
‘Nurse
Manager
Learning
Agility
and
Observed
Leadershi
p Ability:
A Case
Study’, N
ursing
Economi
c$, 36(2),
pp. 74–
82.
Available
at:
http://sea
rch.ebsco
host.com/
login.asp
hours
per
book

Continuing Professional Development 9
Read all the
books related
to the
nursing
leadership
skills.
I will make
short notes
from each of
the following
books and
compare their
nursing
leadership
skill:
Effective
Leadership
and
Books on
leadership and
leadership
development
by McGowan,
E. and Stokes,
E. 2017
x?
direct=tru
e&db=ap
h&AN=1
2909270
1&site=e
host-live
(Accesse
d: 15
October
2018).
Roberts-
Turner,
R.(2014)
‘Effects
of
Leadershi
p
Character
istics on
5-7
hours
per
book
3
hours

Continuing Professional Development 10
Management
Nursing by
Eleanor J.
Sullivan.
Essentials of
Nursing
Leadership
and
Management
by Diane K.
Whitehead,
Sally A.
Weiss and
Rulb M.
Tappen.
Leadership
and
Management
for Nurses:
Core
competencies
for quality
Care by Anita The patient-nurse
Pediatric
Registere
d Nurses’
Job
Satisfacti
on’, Pedi
atric
Nursing,
40(5), pp.
236–256.
Available
at:
http://sea
rch.ebsco
host.com/
login.asp
x?
direct=tru
e&db=ap
h&AN=9
8978816
&site=eh
ost-live
2
hours
3
hours

Continuing Professional Development 11
Finkelman
To build on
communicati
on skills
communication
process will be
improved through
learning how to
make interpersonal
relationship by
doing some of the
following activities:
Sitting next to
patient and having
simple
communication
(Accesse
d: 15
October
2018).

Continuing Professional Development 12
strategies like
BATHE. When a
nurse is a good
listener and
communicator,
helps the patient to
eliminate any
physical and
emotional distress
that affect the
recovery process
Low-Tech Social
Network and
spectrum mapping.
The spectrum
mapping provides
opportunity to give
ideas and opinions
and encourage
others who have
unconventional
views about others,

Continuing Professional Development 13
work process and
patents to speak.
Through
harmonizing all
these ensures that
the patients receive
the best care
When team creates
avatar will show
how well they
know each other,
hence help in
understanding the
team better
Evaluation of the Process
a. Reflection of the need for leadership skills
To effectively achieve the leadership skill, I will participate in a number of activities such as
going through the lecture notes that provide strong foundation on the nursing leadership skills.

Continuing Professional Development 14
Other activities such as assuming the role of group leadership, having a group discussion and
debate, have active listening sessions among many others.
I. Reinforcing the active listening session helps in improving the communication ability of
an individual (Weger, Bell and Robinson, 2014, p.20) denotes that commination is not
about just speaking but it entails listening to others too. Active listening refers to the
ability to understand rather than replying and this can be reinforced through building a
good listening relationship by always asking questions in class or other mentors in the
hospital to clarify unclear issues (Higgins, McLaughlin, Rinnies and Stecker, 2017).
Through this, I will be able to understand and be at par with the profession requirement.
II. Participation in the discussions and debate enable all people to share their ideas, opinions
and thoughts and enhance the listening capability of the members (Hoffman and Vorhies,
2017, p.26). The group discussion thus will foster my ability to withstand other people
opinion in every decision making process , an aspect that is important in leadership and
management since I will be able to understand various body languages and their meaning.
Additionally, assuming the group leadership will provide me an opportunity to prove my
capability of providing a healthy working environment to my team members who are
responsible for the safety of the patients. The group thus provides me with an opportunity
to grow and enhance my emotional intelligence, since every group member poses
different characteristic and must be effectively accommodated to ensure the realization of
the objectives.
III. Reading the books on the leadership will equip me with the relevant leadership skills
required at every level of management (Pazetto and Kowal, 2015, p.120). Different skills
work differently in every situation such as between staffs, staffs and patients: thus

Continuing Professional Development 15
concentrating on the nursing leadership and management skills such as integrity, critical
thinking, emotional intelligence, respect, communication skills, mentorship among many
others.
b. Up-to-date knowledge and experience in the nursing fraternity
My need to have relevant up-to-date knowledge is essential in nursing fields. At the college,
most of my lectures use books and technical knowledge to teach us that do not fully expose the
different expected issues in the real world (Glassman, 2018, p.76). The issues such as
experiencing different patients who suffer different disease some we have never come across
pose different challenges in taking care of them, therefore, I require to gain knowledge on such
emerging issues and this can only be achieved through engaging or actively involving me in
various programs such as continuing education program, attend seminars and workshops, attend
professional organizations and continually updating the technological knowledge.
I. Continuing educational program-
According to Papadopoulos and Jager (2016,p.348)about 55% of clinical students
learning take place in class room setting while the other 45% takes place in clinical
setting, therefore, it means even after the completion of the nursing educational program,
there are a lot to be gained. There are various educational programs provide both on
online and institutional setting, that have the capability to enhance the nursing
professional. When I enroll into online educational programs in the University of Mary’s
online nursing education. Apart from enhancing and filling my knowledge gap, the online
program tends to be flexible to me since I will be able to log in anytime at any location to
acquire knowledge without interfering with my family life and professional career.
Through the use of technology, I will be able to do the classes work at night from the

Continuing Professional Development 16
laptop and achieve the desired goal. the online program tend to be cost-friendly since the
curriculum modules will always be sent to me through online as opposed to the
conventional lecturing method where the professor has to be at the podium(Kanto-
Ronkenen,Paalasmaa and Saami,2016,p.48). The price is reduced since the classroom
costs, electricity and any other physical amenities are excluded from the fees.
II. Additionally, the online educational programs do not offer clinical preceptors as
compared to the classroom nursing education. Therefore, I will be required to identify
clinical sites to gain the various research skills and apply the theoretical knowledge
gained in class. The process of searching the clinical preceptor will motivate me and
enhance my communication and relation ability with other nursing staffs, which are
highly attributed in the nursing industry (Colbert, 2017, p.353). The programs tend to
make students to be more independent and acquire excellent management skills since one
is capable to balance the student life, social life, family life and the professional life.
III. Attend professional organizations
Professional organizations such as America Nurse Association since they are critically in
generating ideas and proactive work needed for healthy profession (Daw, 2017, p.20). The
organizations have varied benefit such as professionalism since after the completion of the
nursing course students tends to lack the professional umbrella hence the organization provides a
base for applying jobs. Networking is found in the professional organization since I will be
capable to know potential colleagues and build a potential mentors (Dhakal, 2018, p.316).
Finally, the professional organizations tend to sponsor trainings and workshops that facilitated
the development of career.
IV. Continually updating the technological knowledge

Continuing Professional Development 17
The health sector as whole experience tremendous technological change, thus it is imperative for
each nurse to continually update their knowledge on the available machines that assist in taking
care of the patients (Hoffman and Vorhies, 2017, p.22). The technology have advanced from the
use of tablet computers, electronic charts to radio-frequency identification enabled devices
making the healthcare fraternity to be more technologized hence requires the need to update ones
knowledge.
Further Action
By the end of this session, I will have covered the required leadership skills and strategies to up-
to-date knowledge and experience; however, I will need to work more on critical thinking that is
also essential in clinical reasoning and decision making process. Critical thinking is defined as
active and continuing cognitive process of logical reasoning whereby an individual
systematically explores and analyses issues interpret complex ideas and considers all aspects of
as situation to make a prudent judgment (Srisawad and Kidee, 2017, p.68). The development of
critical thinking still continues to be a big challenge to moist of the nurse educators hence several
strategies needed to be developed and reviewed to ensure sound judgment in complex situations.
Personally I will enhance my critical thinking during the first year of practice as a registered
nurse through various methods such as simulation, problem-based learning and Nurse Residency
Programs.
a. Simulation
Simulation offers safe, controlled environment that allows the leaner to make a mistake without
causing harm to the patient, hence the student has the capability of learning from the self-
committed errors. In most clinical setting, critical thinking is achieved through the role-playing

Continuing Professional Development 18
in simulated activities. In such situations, I will take the role of both the patient and the clinical
staffs to understand both perspectives. According to Cazell and Anderson (2016, p.85)
simulation always make clinical staffs to be more prepared for the live clinical setting.
b. Problem-based learning
Through the use of problem-based learning whereby actual patents are presented to the fresh
clinical staffs to analyze the best course of action (Aziz, Sedaghat and Direkvand-Moghadam,
2018, p.5). Most of the newbies tend to shy away, however, I believe that undertaking such
opportunity helps in bring into practice the theoretical knowledge into practice without fear of
intimidation, hence one will be able to make correct judgment in case of future encounter with
the same problem. The use of problem-based learning will enhance my confidence in making
decisions.
c. Nursing Residency Programs
In most cases, nursing graduates tend to being their career in acute care settings as others migrate
to non-acute care such as ambulatory clinics, schools and public health setting since most of
them does not mandate one to have the clinical reasoning capability(Belvins,2016,p.368). NRPs
are an evidence-based curriculum that incorporates area leadership and patients outcomes
therefore, through having NRPs, as a new registered nurse I will have the required preceptors to
enhance my independent thoughts and sound clinical reasoning.

Continuing Professional Development 19
List of References
Azizi, M., Sedaghat, Z. and Direkvand-Moghadam, A. (2018) ‘Effect of Critical Thinking
Education on Problem Solving Skills and Self-Esteem in Iranian Female Students’, Journal of
Clinical & Diagnostic Research, 12(1), pp. 4–7. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2018/27993.11128.

Continuing Professional Development 20
Blevins, S. H. (2016) ‘Nurse Residency Programs: Supporting Nurse Graduates’, MEDSURG
Nursing, 25(5), pp. 367–369. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=aph&AN=118640447&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 15 October 2018).
Cazzell, M. and Anderson, M. (2016) ‘The Impact of Critical Thinking on Clinical Judgment
During Simulation With Senior Nursing Students’, Nursing Education Perspectives (National
League for Nursing), 37(2), pp. 83–90. doi: 10.5480/15-1553.
Colbert, C. Y. (2017) ‘Fairness: the hidden challenge for competency-based postgraduate
medical education programs’, Perspectives on Medical Education, 6(5), pp. 347–355. doi:
10.1007/s40037-017-0359-8.
Daw, P. (2017) ‘Program Evaluation of a Nursing Workforce Intervention: The Maryland Nurse
Support Program II’, Nursing Economic$, 35(1), pp. 14–38. Available at:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=121353610&site=ehost-live
(Accessed: 15 October 2018).
Dhakal, K. (2018) ‘Librarians collaborating to teach evidence-based practice: exploring
partnerships with professional organizations’, Journal of the Medical Library Association,
106(3), pp. 311–319. doi: 10.5195/jmla.2018.341.
Fishman, G. A. (2018) ‘Attending Registered Nurses: Evolving Role Perceptions in Clinical
Care Teams’, Nursing Economic$, 36(1), pp. 12–22. Available at:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=128049874&site=ehost-live
(Accessed: 15 October 2018).

Continuing Professional Development 21
Glassman, K. S. (2018) ‘Nurse Manager Learning Agility and Observed Leadership Ability: A
Case Study’, Nursing Economic$, 36(2), pp. 74–82. Available at:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=129092701&site=ehost-live
(Accessed: 15 October 2018).
Higgins, N. C., McLaughlin, S. A., Rinne, T., & Stecker, G. C. (2017). Evidence for cue-
independent spatial representation in the human auditory cortex during active
listening. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of
America, 114(36), E7602–E7611. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1707522114
Hoffman, J. L. and Vorhies, C. (2017) ‘Leadership 2.0: The Impact of Technology on Leadership
Development’, New Directions for Student Leadership, 2017(153), pp. 21–33. doi:
10.1002/yd.20227.
Jones-Bell, L. J. (2018) ‘Transition to Practice - Part 3: Implementing an Ambulatory Care
Registered Nurse Residency Program: RN Residency and Transition to Professional Practice
Programs in Ambulatory Care - Challenges, Successes, and Recommendations’, Nursing
Economic$, 36(1), pp. 35–45. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=aph&AN=128049878&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 15 October 2018).
Kanto-Ronkanen, A., Paalasmaa, P. and Saarni, L. (2016) ‘User-centered continuous
professional education for AT service personnel’, Technology & Disability, 28(1/2), pp. 47–52.
doi: 10.3233/TAD-160443.
McGowan, E. and Stokes, E. (2017) ‘Leadership and leadership development within the
profession of physiotherapy in Ireland’, Physiotherapy Theory & Practice, 33(1), pp. 62–71. doi:
10.1080/09593985.2016.1230659.

Continuing Professional Development 22
Morrison, J. (2016) ‘Nursing Leadership in ACO Payment Reform’, Nursing Economic$, 34(5),
pp. 230–235. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=aph&AN=118640423&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 15 October 2018).
Papadopoulos, C. and Jager, J. M. (2016) ‘The effect of an educational program on strength-
training adherence in older adults’, Educational Gerontology, 42(5), pp. 342–351. doi:
10.1080/03601277.2015.1121752.
Pazetto Balsanelli, A. and Kowal Olm Cunha, I. C. (2015) ‘Nursing leadership in intensive care
units and its relationship to the work environment’, Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem
(RLAE), 23(1), pp. 106–113. doi: 10.1590/0104-1169.0150.2531.
Rawlings, D. (2018) ‘Does studying postgraduate palliative care have an impact on student’s
ability to effect change in practice?’, Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 36(1), pp. 16–24.
Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=aph&AN=131905846&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 17 October 2018).
Roberts-Turner, R.(2014) ‘Effects of Leadership Characteristics on Pediatric Registered Nurses’
Job Satisfaction’, Pediatric Nursing, 40(5), pp. 236–256. Available at:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=98978816&site=ehost-live
(Accessed: 15 October 2018).
Srisawad, K. and Kiddee, K. (2017) ‘The Development of Structural Equation Model of Critical
Thinking among Nursing Students’, Walailak Journal of Science & Technology, 14(1), pp. 65–
73. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=aph&AN=120014120&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 15 October 2018).

Continuing Professional Development 23
Weger, H., Bell, G. C. and Robinson, M. C. (2014) ‘The Relative Effectiveness of Active
Listening in Initial Interactions’, International Journal of Listening, 28(1), pp. 13–31. doi:
10.1080/10904018.2013.813234.