Professional Development Plan for nurses and midwives ...

1 1 Nursing and Midwifery ompassion, are, ommitmentProfessional Development PlanFor nurses & MidwivesINFORMATION GUIDEPROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENTPLANFORNURSE SANDMIDWIVES / INFORMATIONGUIDE1 PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENTPLANFORNURSESANDM IDWIVES / INFORMATIONGUIDE1 Professional Development PLAN FOR nurses AND midwives / INFORMATION GUIDE2 PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENTPLANFORNURSESANDM IDWIVES / INFORMATIONGUIDE1 CPDisdefinedastheprocess,throughwhichani ndividualmaintains,enhancesandwidenshis/ herknowledge,abilities,competenciesand skillslinkedtohis/hercurrentprofessionor occupationandprofessional/employmentneed s,throughouthis/hercareer. [5, ].2 LLLisdefinedaslearningactivities,formalo rinformal,undertakenthroughoutthelifecyc le,withtheaimofacquiring,updatingandimpr oving knowledge, ,skillsandcompetenciesneededforacurrento r future anemploymentcontext,LLLis anelementof adulteducationwhichis drivenbytheindividualemployee [5, ].2 IntroductionProfessional Development planning is a continuous Development process that enables nurses and midwives to make the best use of their skills and helps advance both their individual plans and the strategic goals of the organisation [1].

2 A Professional Development Plan (PDP) is a tool that supports the nurse or midwife to identifyprofessionalgoals,bothshortandlo ngtermforthebenefitofthemselves,theirser viceusersandthe organisations in which to recognise and focus on the individual s accomplishments, strengths and Development needs. In collaboration with their line manager, the nurse or midwife can create goals and objectives to meet their Professional Development needs. Goals must be aligned to the guiding principles from the Nursing and MidwiferyBoardofIrelandCodeofProfessiona lConductandEthics(2014)[2]andotherpolici esandguidance relevant to nursing and midwifery professions. The process also supports the organisational goals and objectives thereby contributing to the delivery of safe quality care and improved Health Service Executive is committed to providing a learning culture that prioritises Development to ensure staff are equipped to confidently deliver, problem solve andinnovate safer better healthcare.

3 In the Irish healthcare sector, there are many Professional opportunities for nurses and midwives to develop their knowledge and skills and advance their careers. However, there are also challenges due to factors such as staff recruitment and retention difficulties. There are changing health needs of service users, an increasing prevalence of chronic illness and an aging population presenting with complex needs. In addition, there are increased public expectations for the provision of high quality accessible integrated health and social care. To meet these challenges, nurses and midwives are required to develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge, skills,competencies,practices,attitudesa ndvaluestoenablethemtoadapttochangesinth ewayhealthcare (PDP)thatisavailable and accessible to every nurse and midwife. This will ensure that Professional Development planning is a core management practice that focuses on the knowledge, skills, competencies, practices, attitudes and values ofstaff[3].

4 Inordertoachievethis,theHSEhasdevelopeda ProfessionalDevelopmentPlanningFramework forNursesandMidwivesforallgradesofnurses inmidwives(Dec2017).Thedevelopmentofthis PDPistimely as when Part II of the nurses and midwives Act 2011[4]Maintenance of Professional Competence is enacted, nurses and midwives will be obliged to demonstrate that Professional competence is maintained, therefore, all goals documented in the HSE PDP must be aligned to the principals of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered nurses and Registered midwives (NMBI, 2014)[2].Continuing Professional Development and Life LongLearningContinuing Professional Development1(CPD) and Life-Long Learning2(LLL) are key to identifying learning opportunities and supporting nurses and midwives to provide effective high quality care and ensure patient safety. CPD is a joint responsibility of the employee and the employer where employers, given their legal responsibility for high quality care delivery, should provide the required infrastructure and facilitate sufficient and future qualifications and competences of the health workforce instead of as a cost factor.

5 The employee is responsible for participating in CPD schemes or activities to maintain the competencies and qualifications required for their professionalcareer. Therefore CPD is largely dependent on the motivation of employees to invest in their own Development and on the employer to provide the resources and support, in the interest of quality safe patient care. Professional Development planning is a planned approach which is cyclical by its nature and thereby supports the concept of CPD and LLL[5]. Professional Development PLAN FOR nurses AND midwives / INFORMATION GUIDE3 PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENTPLANFORNURSESANDM IDWIVES / INFORMATIONGUIDE1 PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENTPLANFORNURSESANDM IDWIVES / INFORMATIONGUIDE1 CPDis definedastheprocess,throughwhichanindivi dualmaintains,enhancesandwidenshis/herkn owledge,abilities,competenciesand skillslinkedto his/hercurrentprofessionoroccupationandp rofessional/employmentneeds,throughouthi s/hercareer. [5, ].2 LLLis definedaslearningactivities,formalorinfo rmal,undertakenthroughoutthelifecycle,wi ththeaimofacquiring,updatingandimproving knowledge, coverscontentthatis broaderthanqualifications,skillsandcompe tenciesneededforacurrentor future anemploymentcontext,LLLis anelementof adulteducationwhichis drivenbytheindividualemployee [5, ].

6 2 IntroductionProfessional Development planning is a continuous Development process that enables nurses and midwives to make the best use of their skills and helps advance both their individual plans and the strategic goals of the organisation [1]. A Professional Development Plan (PDP) is a tool that supports the nurse or midwife to identifyprofessionalgoals,bothshortandlo ngtermforthebenefitofthemselves,theirser viceusersandthe organisations in which a mechanismthatfacilitatesthenurseormidwif eandthelinemanager to recognise and focus on the individual s accomplishments, strengths and Development needs. In collaboration with their line manager, the nurse or midwife can create goals and objectives to meet their Professional Development needs. Goals must be aligned to the guiding principles from the Nursing and MidwiferyBoardof IrelandCodeof ProfessionalConductandEthics(2014)[2]and otherpoliciesandguidance relevant to nursing and midwifery professions.

7 The process also supports the organisational goals and objectives thereby contributing to the delivery of safe quality care and improved Health Service Executive is committed to providing a learning culture that prioritises Development to ensure staff are equipped to confidently deliver, problem solve andinnovate safer better healthcare. In the Irish healthcare sector, there are many Professional opportunities for nurses and midwives to develop their knowledge and skills and advance their careers. However, there are also challenges due to factors such as staff recruitment and retention difficulties. There are changing health needs of service users, an increasing prevalence of chronic illness and an aging population presenting with complex needs. In addition, there are increased public expectations for the provision of high quality accessible integrated health and social care. To meet these challenges, nurses and midwives are required to develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge, skills,competencies,practices,attitudesa ndvaluesto enablethemto adaptto changesin thewayhealthcare is thekeyapproachesto achievingthisis to createa PersonalDevelopmentPlan(PDP)thatis available and accessible to every nurse and midwife.

8 This will ensure that Professional Development planning is a core management practice that focuses on the knowledge, skills, competencies, practices, attitudes and values ofstaff[3].In orderto achievethis,theHSEhasdevelopeda ProfessionalDevelopmentPlanningFramework forNursesandMidwivesforallgradesof nursesin midwives (Dec2017).Thedevelopmentof thisPDPis timely as when Part II of the nurses and midwives Act 2011[4]Maintenance of Professional Competence is enacted, nurses and midwives will be obliged to demonstrate that Professional competence is maintained, therefore, all goals documented in the HSE PDP must be aligned to the principals of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered nurses and Registered midwives (NMBI, 2014)[2].Continuing Professional Development and Life LongLearningContinuing Professional Development1(CPD) and Life -Long Learning2(LLL) are key to identifying learning opportunities and supporting nurses and midwives to provide effective high quality care and ensure patient safety.

9 CPD is a joint responsibility of the employee and the employer where employers, given their legal responsibility for high quality care delivery, should provide the required infrastructure and facilitate sufficient current and future qualifications and competences of the health workforce instead of as a cost factor. The employee is responsible for participating in CPD schemes or activities to maintain the competencies and qualifications required for their Professional career. Therefore CPD is largely dependent on the motivation of employees to invest in their own Development and on the employer to provide the resources and support, in the interest of quality safe patient care. Professional Development planning is a planned approach which is cyclical by its nature and thereby supports the concept of CPD and LLL[5]. Professional Development PLAN FOR nurses AND midwives / INFORMATION GUIDE4 PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENTPLANFORNURSESANDM IDWIVES / INFORMATIONGUIDE33 What is the Purpose of a Professional Development Plan?

10 Thepurposeof a PDPis to identifyclear,achievablegoalsto meettheindividuals professionaldevelopmental needs which are also aligned to the department s or organisation s objectives. It is a structured method of recording identified Professional Development goals which are discussed and agreed with the line manager. It provides an opportunity for acknowledgement of the nurse or midwives strengths and accomplishments while identifying their future Development needs[5].What are the Benefits of a Professional Development Plan?Is it compulsory to engage inthe Professional Development Planning process?At present Professional Development planning is not compulsory. However, there is a Professional responsibility on all nurses and midwives to maintain and update their skills to enable them to provide the best care they can. The Professional Development Plan is a simple and effective means of doing this. As previously stated when Part II of the nurses and midwives Act [4]