Nurses in various practice environments are encouraged to engage in continuous professional development and make a personal commitment to pursue learning throughout their professional careers (Rishel, 2013). Participation in practice-relevant continuing professional growth enables nursing professionals to not only broaden their knowledge, expertise, and competence in care delivery, but also to develop their personal and professional values for optimal performance and productivity in the professional landscape (Cleary, Horsfall, O’Hara-Aarons, Jackson, & Hunt, 2011). This paper details my statement for the continuation of professional development after graduating as a family health nurse practitioner.
My statement is premised on four components, namely joining a family health journal club, obtaining nursing specialty certification in family health, enrolling in a nursing leadership course, and gaining registration in local and state nursing chapters. I intend to join a relevant journal club within the first six months after graduation with the view to ensuring that I continue to develop my skills and competencies in providing patient-centered care in my practice environment. Available literature demonstrates that “the journal club format can help in educating students, supporting staff nurse skill development, promoting evidence-based practice and interprofessional collaboration, and introducing staff nurses to the exciting world of nursing research” (Rishel, 2013, p. 537). It is my conviction that a practice-relevant journal club will not only foster and support the excitement of lifelong learning but also provide a mechanism through which I can evaluate the value of the knowledge learned and its potential application to family health practice settings.
I intend to gain full registration in relevant local and state nursing chapters not later than one year after graduating. The nursing chapters will help me to develop a sense of community that promotes the core values of family health practice, network with other professionals in the field, pursue opportunities for professional development through the scholarships offered by these chapters, and develop my leadership and networking capabilities (Rishel, 2013). I will use these chapters to address healthcare issues that continue to affect individuals and families in the provision of primary care.
I will also strive to obtain nursing specialty certification in family health within the first two years after graduating as a nurse practitioner. Here, it is important to note that this certification will assist me to become recognized as a qualified and competent family health nurse practitioner in my practice environment. Certification will aid my professional development journey, signify that I have a high level of experience and knowledge in family health, and demonstrate my capacity to provide family health services using current evidence-based practices and knowledge (Remsburg & Childness, 2012). Obtaining certification will also serve to reinforce my dedication and commitment toward achieving expected and precise standards for the enhancement of quality care outcomes in the domain of family health.
Lastly, my mid-term objective (3-4 years after graduation) is to register for a one-year nursing leadership course in a reputable institution with the view to providing “clinical leadership directly at the point of care to ensure safe, evidence-based, high-quality care delivery that produces optimal patient outcomes” (Rainkin, 2015, p. 199). Effective leadership skills are extremely important for family health nurse practitioners as their scope of practice requires specialization, the ability to deal with people from all age groups, and effective leadership skills (McCulluloch, 2012; Quallich, Bumpus, & Lajiness, 2015). My long-term objective (7-10 years after graduation) is to enroll in a doctoral program that will enable me to specialize in one of the several domains of family health.
This paper serves as a statement for the continuation of professional growth and development after graduating as a family health nurse practitioner. Although a few changes may be made along the way depending on the demands of the job market, it is safe to conclude that my professional growth and development will be guided by this statement.
References
Cleary, M., Horsfall, J., O’Hara-Aarons, M., Jackson, D., & Hunt, G.E. (2011). The views of mental health nurses on continuing professional development. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 20(23/24), 3561-3566.
McCulluloch, J. (2012). Family health care nursing: Theory, practice and research. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 4(1), 67-70.
Quallich, S.A., Bumpus, S.M., & Lajiness, S. (2015). Competencies for nurse practitioners working with adult urology patients. Urologic Nursing, 35(5), 221-230.
Rainkin, V. (2015). Clinical nurse leader: A role for the 21st century. MEDSURG Nursing, 24(3), 199-202.
Remsburg, L., & Childness, R. (2012). An initial investigation of the applicability of the Dreyfus skill acquisition model to the professional development of nurse educators. Nurse Education Perspectives, 33(5), 312-316.
Rishel, C.J. (2013). Professional development for oncology nurses: A commitment to lifelong learning. Oncology Nursing Forum, 40(6), 537-539.