Nursing Professional Development Competencies: Tools to Evaluate and Enhance Educational Practice

Barbara A. Brunt, MA, MN, RN-BC, NE-BC, FABC
Contributing author: Julia W. Aucoin, DNS, RN-BC, CNE

Nursing Professional Development Competencies: Tools to Evaluate and Enhance Educational Practice is the only resource of its kind that provides nursing professional development specialists with a framework for career development and competence.

Barbara A. Brunt’s research has developed more than 70 evidence-based competencies, aligned with the Scope and Standards of Practice and Benner’s novice to expert continuum.

Staff educators can use this book in numerous ways—from personal development, such as measuring and demonstrating proficiency, to training new educators. With more than 70 evidence-based competencies, educators can immediately download the tools and incorporate them into practice.

Nursing Professional Development Competencies provides nursing professional development specialists with tools to move through the nursing professional development role and develop expertise.

Table of Contents

Section I – Competency Assessment and Validation

• Chapter 1: Overview of the Competency Movement
• Chapter 2: Developing Educator Competencies
• Chapter 3: Additional Competencies Based on Revised Standards
• Chapter 4: Benner’s Novice to Expert Continuum
• Chapter 5: Creating a Framework for Educator Competencies
• Chapter 6: Methods to Validate Competencies

Section II – Applications of the Competencies to Practice

• Chapter 7: Self-Assessment Tool
• Chapter 8: Developing Criterion-Based Position Descriptions
• Chapter 9: Orientations for New Educators
• Chapter 10: Performance Appraisals, Peer Review, and Professional Development Plans
• Chapter 11: Creating a Professional Portfolio
• Chapter 12: Developing Cultural Competence
• Chapter 13: Understanding Generational Differences

Section III – Future Trends

• Chapter 14: Applications of the Competencies
• Chapter 15: Educational Implications of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report

Appendix: Nursing Professional Development Competency Tool

After reading this book, you should be able to:

• Discuss the evolvement of nursing professional development competencies
• Describe the use of Benner's novice to expert theory as applied to nursing professional development competencies
• Recognize the role of ANA's Scope and Standards of Practice for Nursing Professional Development in creating nursing professional development competencies
• Apply the nursing professional development competencies in professional practice

Nursing Contact Hours:
HCPro is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

This educational activity for 2.7 nursing contact hours is provided by HCPro.  

Nursing contact hours for this activity are valid from August 2014 until August 2016.

HCPro is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing to provide 3.2 nursing contact hours. California BRN Provider #CEP 14494.

Disclosure Statement:
The planners, presenters/authors, and contributors of this CNE activity have disclosed no relevant financial relationships with any commercial companies pertaining to this activity.

About the Authors:

Barbara A. Brunt, MA, MN, RN-BC, NE-BC, FABC, is the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program^® director for Summa Akron City and St. Thomas Hospitals in Akron, Ohio. She has held a variety of nursing professional development positions, including educator, coordinator, and director, for the past 36 years. Brunt has presented a variety of topics both locally and nationally, and has published 42 articles, five book chapters, and six books, in addition to an online continuing education module. She served as a section editor for all four editions of The Core Curriculum for Nursing Professional Development, published by the National Nursing Staff Development Organization (now known as the Association for Nursing Professional Development).

Brunt holds a master’s degree in community health education from Kent State University and a master’s in nursing from the University of Dundee in Scotland. Her research has focused on competencies. Brunt maintains certification in nursing professional development and as a nurse-executive. She completed a two-year leadership fellowship through The Advisory Board. She has been active in numerous professional associations and has received awards for excellence in writing, nursing research, leadership, and nursing professional development. She was a 2013 nursing excellence regional winner for advancing and leading the profession category through Heartland/Midwest Nurse.com.

Julia W. Aucoin, DNS, RN-BC, CNE, is certified in nursing professional development and academic education and has worked on the certification teams with associated competencies for both specialty practices. She has served as a professor in nursing education and as the CE consultant for the North Carolina Nurses Association. Dr. Aucoin is a frequent presenter at the NNSDO’s and National League for Nursing’s annual conventions. She is coeditor of Conversations in Nursing Professional Development, published by NNSDO.

Continuing Education:

If you would like to find out about the availability of nursing contact hours on this or any other HCPro nursing book, please visit our Continuing Education information page, here.

Published: August 2014