Nursing Foundations Professional Development

Nursing Foundations Professional Development

Nursing Foundations Professional Development Assignment

PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS UNDERLINED BELOW:!!!
MY MAJOR IS PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER

To complete Nursing Foundations Professional Development Assignment:

Utilizing Microsoft Word, begin by formatting the paper in correct APA (i.e. title page, double space, Times New Roman size 12 font, headers, page numbers, headings).
To ensure that all content required is included in the paper, review Week 5 Professional Development Plan assignment rubric and the Professional Development Plan example.
Write your PDP using scholarly writing, correct grammar, and proper APA citations. Review the APA Basics Checklist: Citations, Reference List, and Style to make sure that your citations are correct. This document should represent your best professional effort.

To prepare for Nursing Foundations Professional Development Assignment:

• Review the information on the Program of Study (POS) and Professional Development Plan (PDP) presented in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Review the Week 5 Assignment Rubric presented in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Develop your Professional Development Plan (PDP) following the example presented in the
• earning Resources and the assignment grading rubric criteria.
• Ensure that all content required is included in paper.

Assignment: Application: Professional Development Plan

The Program of Study (POS) for your specialization and the Professional Development Plan (PDP) help you to become familiar with the courses you will take, when they will be completed, and how the degree program fits into your overall academic and professional goals. For this Assignment, you write a Professional Development Plan to submit to the Week 5 Assignment submission link.

Throughout your degree program you will create a professional portfolio. In each course, one Assignment will be designated for inclusion in your portfolio. This portfolio provides a rich opportunity to evidence your growth as a scholar-practitioner. For this course, your PDP will serve as the artifact for your Portfolio.

Week 5: Looking Ahead

Stephen Covey is credited with promoting the imperative to begin with the end in mind. As you start your Master of Science in Nursing program, you are asked to consider how your program of study will help you to achieve your long-term goals.

In this week of the Foundations of Graduate Study course, you reexamine the professional and academic goals you identified in Week 1. You then create a Professional Development Plan to guide your progress through the MSN program. Doing so not only allows you to articulate how you will stay current in the complex and rapidly evolving field of health care, it also provides an opportunity to apply the principles of scholarly writing introduced in previous weeks of this course.

Reference: Covey, S.R. (1989). The 7 habits of highly effective people. New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster Inc.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Develop a Professional Development Plan

Photo Credit: Blend Images – Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

View the Program of Study (POS) Template appropriate for your specialization located at the Walden Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Forms site: http://inside.waldenu.edu/c/Student_Faculty/Studen…

Casey, D., & Egan, D. (2010). The use of professional portfolios and profiles for career enhancement.British Journal of Community Nursing, 15(11), 547–552.

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Throughout your degree program you will build a professional portfolio. Review this article, and consider what sort of artifacts you would like to include in your portfolio.

Smith, L. S. (2011). Showcase your talents with a career portfolio. Nursing, 41(7), 54–56. doi:10.1097/01.NURSE.0000398641.62631.8e

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

This brief article provides suggestions for building and using a professional portfolio.

Thompson, T. (2011). Electronic portfolios for professional advancement. Clinical Nurse Specialist: The Journal For Advanced Nursing Practice, 25(4), 169–170.

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

An electronic portfolio can be easily kept up to date and may even be preferred by potential employers. As you read this article, consider the advantages of keeping an electronic portfolio.

Registered Nurses Association of Northwest Territories and Nunavut. (n.d.). Continuing competence: My professional development plan (PDP)—Information. Retrieved from http://www.rnantnu.ca/?page_id=28

Walden University. (2012k). Walden University writing center: Paper templates. Retrieved from http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm

Download and review the School of Nursing APA and Writing Guidelines and School of Nursing Sample Paper located under item 8. Use the sample paper as a guide when completing your Assignment.

This website presents strategies for developing a professional development plan.

Document: Walden University School of Nursing Faculty. (2012). Annotated School of Nursing sample paper. (PDF)

Document: Professional Development Plan (PDP) (PDF)

Document: PDP Sample Paper (Word document)

Document: APA Basics Checklist: Citations, Reference List, and Style (PDF)

NURS 6001, Section 10, Foundations of Graduate Study

Professional Development Plan

As graduate study in nursing begins, identifying the program of study and professional development plan aligned with personal and professional goals is crucial. The purpose of this assignment is to provide a description of my educational and professional background as well as explore professional and personal goals related to the course and the practicum.

Education and Professional Background

My name is Florence Nightingale and I want to start by giving you some insight into my personal life. I currently reside in Orange County, California, where the military has placed my family. I am an army wife, an associate degree nurse, and a mother of two boys. From a small town in Virginia, my only opportunity to obtain a higher education degree was to attend a local college that offered a two-year degree in nursing. I had an opportunity to begin my chosen profession early, having a family, and never have to worry about finding employment. I always knew I wanted to increase my knowledge and do more. Year after year it seemed impossible to go back to school in the traditional way, since raising small children and moving interfered with finishing a degree.

Nursing has been the most rewarding career. It is not a job to me but my life. My formal education began in 1989 at a branch of Kent State University. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1993. Working and going to school full-time put a strain on my grade point average (GPA), but the experience helped me grow both professionally and personally to an independent self-motivated practitioner.

Currently, I work in an endoscopy department where I developed many standard operating procedure guidelines which are being utilized throughout the hospital. I am also planning to obtain my Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA) certification this year. Another certification workshop I plan to attend is a nurse management seminar in July. Currently, I hold certifications in basic life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), pediatric advanced life support (PALS) and conscious sedation. Prior certifications held were electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation and neurology assessment.

My experiences are very diverse which has made me flexible, efficient, and have given me a broad knowledge base. The different areas of expertise include neurology, orthopedics, urology, day surgery, endoscopy, telemetry, home health, recovery, and research-based projects. In many of these fields I was chosen to take on leadership roles such as charge nurse, team leader, preceptor, computer specialist, educator, and admission/discharge specialist. I like new challenges at work. Being involved in leadership roles confirmed my desire to advance my career in leadership and administration.

Professional Goals

My personal goal is to do my best in all that I do and make a difference in people’s lives. My professional goal is to obtain my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with the specialty being in leadership and management. Reflecting on the University’s vision and mission statement, it is a privilege to attend this graduate level program in order to learn how to positively transform society for the greater global good.

As a professional, I want to personally make society a better place, not only for my children, but for all the children of the future. Also, this specialization gives me a way to make a difference in the community around me that would not be possible at my current degree status. My experience has proven that to be a great leader, you must first serve. As a professional, I desire to serve my community through various outreach programs that will provide members with the tools and information needed to improve overall health and wellness. I also desire to make a difference as a leader in the organization I serve. I want to transform the landscape of positively managing and leading staff. Lastly, I wish to obtain certification in my field as a nurse leader.  I am looking forward to accomplishing my professional goals and making a difference.

Course Outcomes

At first, being an adult in a learning atmosphere was a challenge for me. Through this course, I have developed the skills necessary to function proficiently as an online learner. I learned how to navigate through the various platform areas and more importantly, the resources available to assist all students as they transition into an online learning environment. In addition, I have learned new strategies that are helping me improve my ability to plan and manage my time as a student while obtaining resources, using technology, and communicating effectively in the online environment.  Lastly, I developed sound knowledge of academic integrity and the importance of crediting sources.

Although there are many areas this course has helped me improve upon, continued growth is still needed. Since I have not been in a student role for many years, American Psychological Association (APA) style of writing is new to me. This is where Walden’s online program can help me reach my goals without sacrificing my commitment to my family. In order to grow in my knowledge of APA, I plan to view several webinars offered by the Walden Writing Center on this topic.  In addition, I will seek out feedback from the Writing Center tutors on written assignments.

Practicum

I view the practicum as an exceptionally important part of the Master’s education. I began planning for the practicum in leadership on the day I was accepted into Walden’s nursing program. I contacted a nurse manager, Victoria Smith, from a local acute care institution. I know of Smith’s work and reputation as a nurse leader in our community. Smith agreed to serve as my preceptor when it is time for me to enroll in the practicum. Although this will happen in two years, Smith feels confident that she will continue to be in the current position and have the flexibility to mentor a student.

During my practicum experience, I would like to develop and implement a nurse preceptor program. In this program, I would like to develop several classes for experienced nurses that want to become preceptors for new employees and graduate nurses. I believe more needs to be done when it comes to preceptors understanding their role and how they can be successful at meeting the needs of new employees and graduates.

Summary

I am excited for the journey ahead. I believe my experience and past education has prepared me to be successful as I pursue my MSN degree. Moreover, as a graduate prepared nurse, Walden will provide me with the knowledge and tools necessary to make a positive impact in the world around me. Since starting back to school is a new experience, especially the online program, I am planning to view webinars and to seek assistance from Writing Center tutors to learn more about APA writing style. My degree completion date is February 2016. I look forward to expanding my knowledge base as a scholar practitioner through Walden University.