Write a 6–8-page professional development plan for your work as a nurse educator.

Learning never stops for the nurse educator. Lifelong learning is necessary to stay current both in the practice world and in education. Nurse educators need to have a plan for their own continued professional development that will help them maintain and advance their skills both as nurses and as educators.

The nursing profession needs nurse educators to educate more nurses, to introduce and educate about evidence-based practice changes, and more than ever, to join with our colleagues in other health care disciplines to exchange ideas and engage in interdisciplinary learning. As educators, we must continue to learn, be certified, and function at a high level to ensure continued growth for the nursing profession.

Assessment Instructions

Write a 6–8-page professional development plan for your career as an MSN-prepared nurse. The professional development plan should include the following:

• Introduction: A brief introductory paragraph that clearly states the purpose of the paper.
• Area of focus: A description of your specific area of focus in nursing education, the position that you wish to obtain, and the educator competencies that you will need as an MSN-prepared nurse.
• Professional goals: A statement of your specific professional goals (a minimum of three) and discussion of their relationship to your nurse educator philosophy.
• Influences: A brief description of any additional forces (social, economic, political, or institutional) that may influence your nursing education role.
• Analysis: An analysis of how you will carry out scholarship activities as an MSN-prepared nurse and a specific plan for scholarship based on a model.
• Leadership role: A discussion of specific ways (a minimum of two) that you will develop a leadership role in your chosen area of focus.
• Development plan: Specific plans for professional growth and any additional education, certifications, or training to be acquired.
• Reflection: A reflection in a concluding paragraph on your abilities to meet goals and achieve your professional development plan and ethical practice.

Additional Requirements

Your assessment should meet the following requirements:

• Written communication: Written communication should be free of grammar and spelling errors that distract from the content.
• APA format: Use correct APA format, including running head, page numbers, and a title page. Citations and references (if used) are to be in correct APA format.
• Format: Submit your assessment as a Word document.
• Length: 6–8 double-spaced pages, not including the title page and references page.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman or Arial, 12 point.

Questions to Consider

As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.

• What are some approaches that nurse educators can use when encountering resistance to change?
• How might effective leadership styles be the same or different for the following roles?
  • BSN nursing faculty.
  • Community health educator.
  • Staff development educator.
• What are some ways that scholarship fits with nursing practice?
• How do you or would you view the following evaluation processes as an educator? What can be most useful to faculty from student evaluations?
  • Regular evaluation of nurse educators by students and administrators.
  • Peer evaluations of teaching skills.