Nursing Professional Development

Abstract

The specialty of nursing professional development (NPD) has evolved over the years. The first educational focus in nursing started with the establishment of the first national nursing organization, the American Society of Superintendents for Training School Nurses in 1893. In 1971, the American Nurses Association established the Council on Continuing Education, and in 1974, Helen Tobin, often referred to as the Godmother of Staff Development, published The Process of Staff Development: Components for Change. The first standards related to nursing professional development were the Standards for Continuing Education in Nursing, also published in 1974. The Journal for Nurses in Staff Development was first published in 1985, and in 1989 Belinda Peutz spearheaded the establishment and incorporation of the National Nursing Staff Development Organization (NNSDO). NNSDO has now become the Association for Nursing Profesional Development (ANPD). The Association for Nursing Professional Development advances the specialty practice of nursing professional development for the enhancement of healthcare outcomes. There was tremendous increase in NPD publications and activities in the 1990s. ANPD published the latest Scope and Standards of Practice for Nursing Professional Development in 2016. The standards define Nursing Professional Development as a specialized nursing practice that facilitates the professional role development and growth of nurses and other healthcare personnel along the continuum from novice to expert.