Professional Development Strategies: Organization Experience in addressing the call to action, the Future of Nursing, Leading Change, Advancing Health

Abstract

Introduction and Background: Professional development is vital to achieving excellence in clinical practice, education, administration, health policies, research, and management. In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) made recommendations for an action-oriented blueprint for the future of nursing. Some of the recommendations include ensuring nurses are well-prepared, nursing organizations to institute residency training for nurses, increase the percentage of nurses who attain a bachelor's degree to 80 percent by 2020, and double the number who pursue doctorates. To respond to these recommendations, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America [NANNNA] a not-for-profit organization, implemented various strategies to support its members in achieving the IOM recommendations. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the various strategies used by NANNNA to achieve the IOM recommendations for professional development among its members. Method: NANNNA Research subcommittee conducted an online survey of its members. The academic data obtained from 259 members was analyzed descriptively using SPSS and excel. A total of 323 degrees were attained during the 10 years from the 259 participants. Results: Based on the significant value of 0.029 (i.e., p = .029), which is below 0.05, there is a statistically significant difference in the mean of NANNNA members’ degree attainment. The result shows that the strategies implemented, mentorship, preceptorship, leadership, networking, and inter-professional collaboration, were vital to professional development among its members. This finding has important implications for the future of nursing, leading change and provides new insights into not-for-profit organizational influence on nurses’ personal and professional development.