Description:

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community. Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

The Nurse Professional Development Specialist (NPD) is a Registered Nurse/Educator with an Advanced Nursing Degree. The NPD Specialist has a practice specialty based on the sciences of nursing, technology, research and evidence-based practice, change, communication, leadership, and education. Nursing Professional Development Specialists have knowledge and skills in adult learning principles, nursing career development, program development and management, continuing education, and leadership responsible to create relevant and significant teaching strategies.

Responsibilties:

A day in the life of a Nurse Professional Development Specialist at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

• Learning Facilitator:
  • Creates teaching/learning strategies that promote application of knowledge, skills and attitudes to practice.
  • Builds the infrastructure to facilitate lifelong learning. Analyzes competency assessment data to identify gaps in practice.
  • Develops educational programs to achieve patient oriented outcomes.
  • Develops, reviews and revises nursing procedures, competency performance checklists, teaching education material both directly and on a consultation basis.
• Partner for Practice Transitions:
  • Plans orientation and competency requirements based on future needs of staff.
  • Incorporates the needs of diverse nurses with varying abilities into workforce planning.
  • Prepares staff to transition across clinical settings. Manages the practice gaps between academia and service.
  • Creates seamless transitions in practice (TIP)
• Change Agent:
  • Applies change theory to support organizational innovation and change management. Supports staff as a facilitator or leader through the change process and sustainability.
  • Serves as project manager conducting needs assessment, gap analysis, planning, implementing and evaluating program outcomes.
  • Champions innovation.
• Mentor:
  • Encourages lifelong learning.
  • Partners with staff to facilitate achievement of personal and professional goals. Empowers individual nurses to identify their learning needs.
  • Develops relationships to increase growth capacity among learners.
  • Coaches staff with their professional growth and role transitions.
  • Partners with staff to achieve goals.
• Leader:
  • Aligns activities with organizational goals.
  • Provides a voice in legislative, regulatory, and accrediting bodies Calculates return on investment for educational programming and project management.
  • Measures contributions to patient safety, patient satisfaction, and quality outcomes.
  • Participates in decision-making councils and Magnet work.
• Champion of Scientific Inquiry:
  • Uses research/EBP for clinical and nursing professional development practice change.
  • Facilitates, participates in and or conducts, and/or evaluates research. Implements performance improvement activities as they related to specific focus team structure, i.e, (Critical Care, Medical-Surgical, Orientation, Women & Children, Emergency, Trauma Services, Behavioral Health, Perioperative Services, Procedural, Ambulatory and Community.
  • Disseminates findings of inquiry.
  • Analyzes and displays quantitative and qualitative data.
  • Creates interventions to address gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and practice.
  • Disseminates new knowledge to the global nursing community.
• Patient Safety & Quality:
  • Participates in unit specific initiatives to improve patient care outcomes and drive nursing outcomes.
  • Chairs and or participates in hospital wide committees as assigned.
• Adheres to HMH Organizational competencies and standards of behavior.
• Other duties and/or projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Graduate Degree (Master's or greater) in Nursing or related field. If the graduate degree is in a related field, must have a baccalaureate degree in nursing.
• Graduate of an NLN/AACN accredited program in nursing.
• Minimum of 3 or more years of current experience in Nursing in an acute care hospital
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient computer skills that may include but are not limited to Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite platforms.
• Magnet Recognition Program knowledge.
• Must acquire and maintain competencies, certifications and continuing education in order to meet any facility accreditation or individual licensing requirements for areas assigned. This may include Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

• Previous professional development experience, teaching or education background.
• Experience with curriculum development, evaluative methods and professional development contact hour application

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• NJ State Professional Registered Nurse License.
• AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification.

Licenses and Certifications Preferred:

• Nursing Professional Development Advanced Board Certified.
• Professional certification in an area of specialty related to practice (staff development).