Personal Professional Development Plan for Nursing Practice

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Personal Professional Development Plan
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note
Word Count- 1045 (including in-text citations)

1NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Nurses work in a technical and fast-paced environment and are required to take quick and
effective decisions regarding patient health and are also responsible for effectively
communicating with healthcare personnel (Kilpatrick et al. 2013). The objective of this
assignment is related to development of a plan of action and associated career goals that will
assist my transition to the role of a registered nurse (RN). My primary goal focuses improving
my skills for being a successful RN. A self-assessment learning plan and reflection tool (SWOT
analysis) are attached in the appendix.
Self-reflection and analysis- During the early years of my nursing practice, the fact that I
lack nursing expertise is quite evident from my performance. Although, I have developed a
sound understanding of relevant clinical skills, my failure to implement them in a real-time
setting may create problems in future. The transition to the role of an RN is most often stressful,
challenging and exciting (Thomas, Bertram and Allen 2012). Thus, I intend to develop my
knowledge and decision making skills for gaining a productive experience.
I am well acquainted with the fact that while, the job of a nurse can be challenging, holding
true to some of the basic tenets makes it easier to forge a successful practice. Therefore, a
professional development plan is needed to document the competencies and drawbacks and will
illustrate the concepts related to nursing expertise (Tashiro et al. 2013). A regular monitoring of
my will help me to clarify and focus my short and long-term career goals, and make necessary
amendments. Some of the key factors that will contribute to the development of a professional
development plan are as follows:
 Staying accountable- Accountability forms the heart of nursing practice and helps in
building credibility (Battié and Steelman 2014). I intend to share my goals and career

2NURSING ASSIGNMENT
plans with my family members and confidants that will help me discuss my progress in
relevant areas. Maintaining accountability will also make them encourage me in my work
and prevent procrastination.
 Focusing on goals- I intend to set alarms and trackers that will help me monitor whether I
have been able to accomplish the intended goals. It will also help in meeting my
objectives within the stipulated deadline.
 Maintaining a personal reflective journal- It will not only function as a log of my
practice, but will help in capturing my feelings. It will also provide an opportunity to
explore nursing theories, standards of practice and evidence-based research in the
hospital setting (Schuessler, Wilder and Byrd 2012).
 Self-rewards- This will act as a major form of motivation (Khalaila 2015). Celebrating
success with regards to accomplishment of the intended goals will boost or enhance my
performance and facilitate achievement of the intended goals.
Learning plan and SWOT analysis- Completion of the SWOT analysis helped in the
identification of the nursing areas where I lacked relevant expertise. It helped me realize that I
lack demonstration of essential decision making skills during critical nursing situations. I intend
to seek help from my support networks such as, my family members and colleagues to overcome
my shortcomings.
The fact that continued professional development is vital to a successful nursing practice was
not known before I started the nursing graduation program. I was unaware of the fact that I need
to undertake reflective practice and learning sessions every year for maintaining competency.
The dynamic process of lifelong learning encompasses both professional and personal life
(Rosen et al. 2012). I realized that it helps in appreciating new ideas and perspectives that