What is Nursing Professional Development?

Developing and continual growth as a professional is an important part of most careers, but it plays a pivotal role if you’re a registered nurse (RN). Depending on the state you practice in, professional development may be a requirement for license renewal — and something that needs to be done regularly.

If you’re a nurse or thinking about becoming one, it’s important to understand how to get professional development and how it can help you.

What is the Meaning of Nursing Professional Development?

Sometimes abbreviated to NPD, nursing professional development is exactly what it sounds like: learning experiences geared toward nurses.

“It’s about lifelong learning and striving to be the best nurse you can be,” said Dr. Stacey L. Rosenberg, DNP RN ACNS-BC CNE, associate chief nursing administrator at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

Nursing professional development is an opportunity for nurses to level up their skills, knowledge and abilities, according to Rosenberg — and it comes in many forms. She said it can include both formal and informal opportunities, such as:

• Attending workshops, conferences and seminars
• Engaging in research
• Mentoring others
• Obtaining certifications
• Participating in online courses

Within the realm of nursing professional development, you might also hear the term “continuing education,” or CE. Continuing education is specific to meeting requirements for licensure or certification, according to Rosenberg, and it falls within the broader professional development umbrella.

Depending on the state you’re licensed in, you may need to earn a certain number of “contact hours” to qualify for license renewal. Contact hours can be obtained through continuing education courses and other types of professional development, according to Dr. Lyndsay Goss DNP, RN, CNE, NPD-BC, the director of Continuing Professional Development in Nursing at SNHU.

How to Professionally Develop as a Nurse

Now that you understand some of the vocabulary involved in the NPD process, you may wonder where to begin. The good news is there are opportunities abound.

What is Considered Professional Development in Nursing?

Activities range from on-the-job training to earning a new certification, according to Goss. It can be done in-person or online, in real-time or through a recording.

“Professional development can even be self-directed learning,” Goss said. “Professional development is a lifelong learning experience that can be gained through many avenues.”

If you’re specifically looking for professional development that earns you contact hours, it’s important to consider the organization offering the training, according to Goss.

SNHU Nursing is accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a provider of nursing continuing professional development, enabling nurses to earn contact hours through its accredited offerings.

For instance, SNHU offers three digital badges as continuing education opportunities for nurses looking to develop professionally — whether you’re enrolled in SNHU’s nursing program or not.

They include:

• Advanced Healthcare Leadership
• Healthcare Quality and Improvement
• Healthcare Preceptor

Additionally, SNHU hosts two annual healthcare conferences, a thought leaders conference and a Global Summit. Both events are free and open to the public.

Read more about continuing education credits in nursing and how they work.

What is an Example of a Professional Development Goal in Nursing?

Professional development goals can vary from nurse to nurse. For example, two goals Goss has set for herself and achieved include becoming a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) and certified in nursing professional development (NPD-BC). Beyond certifications, she said a professional development goal could also be to:

• Complete a quality improvement initiative
• Present at a conference
• Publish in a professional journal

What’s important when it comes to setting your goal is that it’s SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

An example from Rosenberg is: “Obtain certification in oncology nursing within the next two years to enhance my expertise in cancer care and improve patient outcomes in this specialized area,” she said. “This goal is specific, time-bound and aligns with both personal interest and career advancement.”

A couple of other opportunities that directly align with professional goals, according to Rosenberg, are:

• Attending events focused on leadership in nursing or emerging healthcare technologies
• Continuing education courses focused on advanced pharmacology or specialized patient care techniques

To help you reach your goals, you can create a professional development plan.

What is a Professional Development Plan for Nurses?

Time can pass quickly. Building a professional development plan can help you stay on track.

“Each nurse’s professional development plan will be different depending on their current specialty and career aspirations,” Goss said.

A good starting point, according to Rosenberg, is to consider your long-term career goals.

“Identify the skills, knowledge and certifications that will help you reach those goals, and then seek out opportunities that align with them,” she said. “Keep a balance between required continuing education and activities that genuinely interest you or will enhance your daily practice.”

It’s important to recognize that your professional development plan is not set in stone. Rosenberg recommends reviewing it often and making changes and adjustments as needed.

Seeking mentorship can also be helpful as you navigate the professional development process, according to Goss.

5 Reasons Why Professional Development is Important in Nursing

There are several benefits for nurses who regularly engage in professional development. According to Rosenberg and Goss, professional development in nursing can help you:

Maintain Licensure Renewal Requirements

To maintain your status as an RN, you’ll have to renew your license periodically. While requirements for licensure renewal vary from state to state, many include a certain amount of professional development contact hours.

Seeking accredited activities is key for nurses aiming to earn contact hours that satisfy licensure requirements. “Accredited programs are more likely to provide relevant, up-to-date information and are more likely to be accepted for meeting licensure or certification renewal requirements,” Rosenberg said.

Be sure to check with your State Board of Nursing to understand how often you must renew your license in your state and what’s involved in the process.

Achieve Professional Satisfaction

Engaging in learning and growth opportunities can also be personally and professionally rewarding. According to Rosenberg, professional growth not only leads to job satisfaction, but it can also boost your confidence.

It can also help you unlock new interests in the field. For instance, at SNHU, there are continuing education opportunities for you to learn about underserved populations and recent public health challenges. Learnings like these have the potential to introduce you to new areas of interest in your work.

Ensure Patient Safety

Because patients are at the heart of the nursing profession, it only makes sense for them to be at the core of nursing professional development. According to a StatPearls Publishing article in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), NPD practitioners design their educational materials with the goal of improving quality, safety and health outcomes for patients.

“Continuous learning ensures that nurses are up to date with the latest practices, which directly impacts patient safety and care quality,” Rosenberg said. This is done through an emphasis on knowledge, skill and performance needs, according to the NCBI article.

Stay Relevant

As current events, technological advancements and more are shaping the future, the healthcare field is challenged to keep pace. Nurses need to stay on top of changes and trends.

“Nursing and healthcare are always evolving, so it stands to reason that nurses and health workers should evolve with it,” Goss said.

It’s also an opportunity to enhance your competencies, Rosenberg said, and be an adaptable nursing professional. Among skills like compassion and critical observation, NurseJournal cited resilience and self-development among the top 10 soft skills for nurses.

Advance in Your Career

Professional development might also lead you to a more advanced role in nursing if you choose to earn a graduate degree or certificate. For instance, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Executive Leadership might lead you to a healthcare manager role, and a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) MSN could help you become a nurse practitioner.

If you want to become a nursing teacher, you could also earn a Nurse Educator MSN — or if you already have an MSN degree, you could opt for a nursing education post-master's certificate.

"SNHU’s post-master’s certificate in nursing education prepares MSN-prepared nurses to become educators in academic, clinical or professional development settings," Goss said. "Graduates of this post-master's certificate program will meet the educational requirements for the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) exam offered by the National League for Nursing (NLN)."

What is the Role of Nursing Professional Development in the Future of Nursing?

Professional development will continue to be a vital element of nursing in the future, according to both Goss and Rosenberg. It equips nurses with tools that will help them adapt to changes.

“Healthcare will continue to evolve with advancements in technology, new treatments, and a growing body of evidence-based research, which only further highlights the need for continuous education,” Goss said.

Alternate credentials are becoming more common, according to Rosenberg — and she believes that increases the need for professional development even more.

“These credentials provide nurses with the flexibility to tailor their education to their career paths, allowing them to gain specialized skills and knowledge in a more modular and accessible way,” she said.

So, whether you’re looking to stay relevant in your role or branch into a new specialty, Rosenberg is an advocate for credential-focused goals — some of which can be earned online at SNHU through live, recorded or interactive formats.

“By integrating these credentials into their professional development plans, nurses can build a comprehensive portfolio that supports their long-term career growth and ensures they remain at the forefront of the profession,” she said.

Rebecca LeBoeuf Blanchette '18 '22G is a writer at Southern New Hampshire University, where she fulfills her love of learning daily through conversations with professionals across a range of fields. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from SNHU’s campus in Manchester, New Hampshire, and followed her love of storytelling into the online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing at SNHU. Connect with her on LinkedIn.