CONTINUING EDUCATION

Professional Development
Strategies to Enhance Nurses’
Knowledge and Maintain Safe
Practice 1.7 www.aornjournal.org/content/cme

SUSAN L. BINDON, DNP, RN-BC, CNE

Continuing Education Contact Hours Approvals
indicates that continuing education (CE) contact hours are This program meets criteria for CNOR and CRNFA recerti-
available for this activity. Earn the CE contact hours by reading fication, as well as other CE requirements.
this article, reviewing the purpose/goal and objectives, and
completing the online Examination and Learner Evaluation at AORN is provider-approved by the California Board of
http://www.aornjournal.org/content/cme. A score of 70% correct Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP 13019. Check
on the examination is required for credit. Participants receive with your state board of nursing for acceptance of this activity
feedback on incorrect answers. Each applicant who successfully for relicensure.
completes this program can immediately print a certificate of
completion. Conflict-of-Interest Disclosures
Event: #17523 As a coeditor of the Journal for Nurses in Professional
Session: #0001 Development, Susan L. Bindon, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, has
Fee: For current pricing, please go to: http://www.aornjournal declared an affiliation that could be perceived as posing a
.org/content/cme. potential conflict of interest in the publication of this article.
The contact hours for this article expire August 31, 2020.
Pricing is subject to change. The behavioral objectives for this program were created by
Kristi Van Anderson, BSN, RN, CNOR, clinical editor, with
Purpose/Goal consultation from Susan Bakewell, MS, RN-BC, director,
To provide the learner with knowledge of best practices related to Perioperative Education. Ms Van Anderson and Ms Bakewell
engaging in nursing professional development (NPD) activities. have no declared affiliations that could be perceived as posing
potential conflicts of interest in the publication of this article.
Objectives
1. Discuss the importance of engaging in various types of Sponsorship or Commercial Support
NPD activities. No sponsorship or commercial support was received for this
2. Describe the different requirements for NPD activities. article.
3. Identify barriers to participating in NPD activities.
4. Identify strategies and resources for engaging in NPD activities.
Disclaimer
Accreditation AORN recognizes these activities as CE for RNs. This
AORN is accredited with distinction as a provider of recognition does not imply that AORN or the American
continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Nurses Credentialing Center approves or endorses products
Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. mentioned in the activity.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2017.06.002
ª AORN, Inc, 2017
www.aornjournal.org AORN Journal j 99
Professional Development
Strategies to Enhance Nurses’
Knowledge and Maintain Safe
Practice 1.7 www.aornjournal.org/content/cme

SUSAN L. BINDON, DNP, RN-BC, CNE

ABSTRACT
Maintaining competence is a professional responsibility for nurses. Individual nurses are account-
able for their practice, as outlined in the American Nurses Association’s Nursing: Scope and
Standards of Practice. Nurses across clinical settings face the sometimes daunting challenge of
staying abreast of regulatory mandates, practice changes, equipment updates, and other workplace
expectations. In the complex, evolving perioperative setting, professional development is a priority,
and the need for ongoing education is critical. However, nurses’ efforts to engage in their own
development can be hampered by a lack of time, limited access to educational resources, or cost
concerns. This article provides an overview of nursing professional development and offers some
resources to help individual nurses maintain or enhance their knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
AORN J 106 (August 2017) 99-110. ª AORN, Inc, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2017.06.002
Key words: competency, nursing professional development, continuing education, contact hours,
lifelong learning.

T he American Nurses Association defines the gen-

eral standards of practice for professional nurses
across settings and specialties.1 Multiple nursing
specialties also have standards of practice and performance for
nurses who work in specific areas or with certain patient
“[a]ssurance of competence is the shared responsibility of the
profession, individual nurses, professional organizations, cre-
dentialing and certification entities, regulatory agencies, em-
ployers, and other key stakeholders.”2 In other words,
maintaining nursing competence requires a team effort. To
populations. These standardsdalong with regulatory changes, maintain their competency, most nurses rely on some type of
advances in clinical practice, technical updates, and organiza- continuing education, which can take many forms (eg, clinical
tional expectationsdhelp to determine the competencies updates and competency assessments, e-learning modules,
nurses need to maintain safe, current practice. webinars, workshops, conferences, specialty certification).
These efforts, in part, constitute nursing professional develop-
Lifelong learning and competency are mainstays of nursing ment (NPD), the outcomes of which are growth, learning,
practice. Patients expect professional nurses to be competent in and change.3
their practice and in the care they provide. Care team members
depend on the competence and up-to-date skills of their col- Individual nurses have the responsibility to reflect regularly
leagues. In its 2014 position statement on professional role upon their knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) to identify
competence, the American Nurses Association stated that professional practice gaps. The American Nurses Credentialing
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2017.06.002
ª AORN, Inc, 2017
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Center states that these gaps may result from a “change that influence a nurse’s readiness and willingness to pursue NPD
has been made to a standard of care, a problem that exists in activities.
practice, or an opportunity for improvement.”4(p24) Once
identified, practice gaps become learning needs. Learning Regardless of a nurse’s perspective or motivation related to
needs can then be categorized, prioritized, and addressed for NPD, the avenues and resources for addressing learning needs
nurses at all levels to maintain competence and ensure that are plentiful. The Association for Nursing Professional
practice is unaffected. This article offers resources and strate- Development defines NPD as a specialty area of nursing that
gies for supporting nurses’ professional development. facilitates the professional role development and growth of
nurses and other health care personnel along the novice-to-
expert continuum.5 Nursing professional development edu-
NPD OVERVIEW cators are experts in the lifelong learning process and can offer
Newly hired perioperative nurses complete orientation to their ideas and support. The NPD Practice Model5 (Figure 1)
new organizations, roles, and the units or areas in which they describes the NPD process as an input-throughput-output
will be working. They learn about their jobs and the expec- system. The inputs are the learner(s) and the NPD practi-
tations that accompany their new positions. They gain tioner (ie, educator). The throughputs of the model are the
knowledge, develop skills, and become socialized into their various kinds of learning activities in which nurses can engage,
work teams. The goals of an orientation period are for nurses and the outputs are learning, change, and professional growth
to demonstrate basic competency and integrate into their new and competence. The environment for learning can be
roles and settings. With time, experience, and support, they wherever the learning takes place: at the bedside, in a class-
will become safe, independent nurses practicing in intense, room, via a podcast or online learning module, in a simulation
high-stakes specialties. In most instances, hospital-based nurse laboratory, or off site at a conference. The NPD model cap-
educators, commonly referred to as NPD educators, facilitate tures the dynamic nature of lifelong learning and continuing
this process. They assess new employees’ KSAs and validate professional development. It also highlights the partnership
their initial competencies. Together with the employees and between individual nurses and the NPD educator, who can
their managers, NPD educators identify learning needs and facilitate and support the NPD process.
employ strategies to address them. This learning process is
ongoing throughout nurses’ careers and reflects their contin-
uous professional development. VARIATION IN REQUIREMENTS
Expectations for ongoing education and competency man-
Nursing professional development is a part of the cumulative agement differ across specialties and organizations, and re-
learning and growth that takes place during a nurse’s career after quirements vary by state. Many state boards of nursing require
passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) a certain number of continuing nursing education (CNE)
and securing a nursing license. Lifelong learning and acquisition contact hours or professional nursing activities, or both, per
of knowledge and skills are intentional pursuits throughout a RN license renewal cycle. For example, New Jersey requires 30
nurse’s career. This active process helps nurses prepare for new contact hours every two years and Massachusetts requires 15;
or different roles and respond to inevitable changes in the however, other states, including Arizona, Colorado, and
practice environment. Lifelong learning can take place formally Maine, do not require any.6 Professional activity requirements
or informally, either inside or outside the work setting.5 also vary but might include precepting, participating in
research, obtaining national certification, or engaging in
How nurses view lifelong learning and their own professional additional academic coursework. Some states are more pre-
development varies significantly. Some nurses seek out op- scriptive, requiring continuing education on specific topics
portunities and look forward to the challenge of “what’s next.” such as domestic violence, pain management, or medical
These nurses often have plans and strategies that align with errors. Some states have employment hour requirements in
their career goals. Others face yearly competency validations lieu of or in addition to contact hours. Nurses certified in
and learning events with less enthusiasm. Their development advanced practice roles typically must fulfill ongoing education
plans may be more along the lines of “checking the boxes.” requirements to maintain their status, with special emphasis
They may complete what is required to maintain their posi- on their area of practice.6
tions but do not necessarily extend their learning activities
beyond the basics. Learning styles, previous learning experi- Given the varied settings, roles, organizational cultures, and
ences, comfort with technology, career goals, years of experi- regulatory requirements that exist concerning continuing edu-
ence, presence of mentoring, and availability of support might cation and professional development for nurses, it is

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Figure 1. Nursing Professional Development Practice Model. EBP ¼ evidence-based practice; QI ¼ quality
improvement. ª 2016 ANPD. Reprinted with permission from the Association for Nursing Professional
Development, Chicago, IL.

understandable that managing one’s own learning can be a documentation system may include elements of all three
challenge. Finding and navigating the necessary information can learning categories: knowledge about the system’s func-
be overwhelming and time-, labor-, and cost-intensive. tionality, data-entry skills, and an open-minded attitude
Continuing education terminology also varies and can be toward new technology and processes.
confusing for nurses trying to determine appropriate continuing
education requirements (Table 1). For assistance with deter- In addition to general continuing education requirements
mining specific requirements, nurses may want to consider and expectations, nurses in the perioperative setting must
starting with their state’s board of nursing web site, which will consider the KSAs specific to their specialties. More than a
offer information regarding current licensure and renewal decade ago, researchers identified nine major perioperative
requirements. practice areas or domains for perioperative nursing. These
practice areas include

PERIOPERATIVE COMPETENCY
patient assessment and diagnosis;

IDENTIFICATION
identification of expected outcomes and plan of care;
One way to view competencies is by the type of skills
intraoperative activities;
needed to achieve them: technical skills, interpersonal
communication;
skills, or skills related to critical thinking.7 Another simple
discharge planning;
way to diagnose or triage learning needs is to decide
cleaning, disinfecting, packaging, and sterilizing;
whether an identified gap is best considered as a knowl-
emergency situations;
edge, skill, or attitude need. This identification can help
management of personnel; and
educators align the learner with the most appropriate
professional accountability.8
learning resource. Sometimes there is overlap, and com-
petency needs can fall into more than one category or Since that time, these domains have provided a foundation for
dimension. For example, learning to use a new electronic competency assessment. These specialty-specific work

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Table 1. Comparison of Continuing Education Terms

Term Abbreviation Definition Comments

Continuing education CE A general term for professional adult
Applies to all disciplines.
education undertaken to improve KSAs
and to help meet career goals.
Contact hour1 N/A A unit of measure that describes
Usually refers to nursing activities, CNE.
60 min of an organized learning
activity. 1 contact hr ¼ 60 min.
Continuing nursing CNE “Learning activities intended to build upon
Often required for ongoing licensure
education1 the educational and experiential bases and certification.
of the professional RN for enhancement
Varies across states and specialties.
of practice, education, administration,
research, or theory development, to the
end of improving the health of the public
and RNs’ pursuit of their professional
career goals.”1(p23)
Credit hour2 N/A Refers to 60 min of organized learning
Usually refers to medical education
activity that is formally approved for a activities, CME.
specific educational program. 1 credit
hr ¼ 60 min.
Continuing medical CME “[E]ducational activities that serve to
Often required for ongoing licensure
education3 maintain, develop, or increase the and certification.
knowledge, skills, and professional
Varies across states and specialties.
performance and relationships a
physician uses to provide services for
patients, the public, or the
profession.”3(p4)
Continuing education CEU A specific designation of learning time or
Often misused or confused with other
unit2 course time where 1 hr ¼ 0.1 CEU and terms.
10 hr ¼ 1.0 CEU.
Usually refers to academic settings or all
continuing education activities.

ANCC does not use this term.1
Interprofessional ICE Education that occurs when members
Relatively new term as interprofessional
continuing from 2 or more professions learn with, education efforts gain momentum.
education4 from, and about each other to enable
effective collaboration and improve
health outcomes.
KSA ¼ knowledge, skills, attitudes; N/A ¼ not applicable.
References
1. American Nurses Credentialing Center. 2015 ANCC Primary Accreditation Provider Application Manual. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses
Credentialing Center; 2015.
2. Continuing education help. Joint Commission Resources. http://www.jcrinc.com/cehelp/#1570. Accessed April 28, 2017.
3. Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and American Medical Association (AMA) Glossary of Terms and
Definitions. http://www.accme.org/sites/default/files/011_20170421_Glossary_of_Terms_3.pdf. Published April 2017. Accessed
April 28, 2017.
4. Joint Accreditation: interprofessional continuing education. http://www.jointaccreditation.org. Accessed April 28, 2017.

categories may help nurses and nurse leaders develop plans to BARRIERS TO PROFESSIONAL
ensure that, from an education perspective, they have DEVELOPMENT
addressed the full range of practice when considering their In a nationwide survey of more than 600 nurses across
professional development. Learners can also use these practice various settings and age groups, many participants com-
domains to identify their areas of strength and areas that may mented that nursing’s emphasis on lifelong learning,
need to be refreshed or reinforced. continuing education, and returning to school are things

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that nurses do well.9 However, nurses face certain challenges SUGGESTED NPD STRATEGIES AND
regarding their ongoing education and professional devel- RESOURCES
opment. Because of the inherent nature of perioperative Nursing professional development and continuing education
nursing, limited time, lack of access, and irregular staffing can take many forms. Role-based annual competency assess-
patterns can create system barriers to education. Scheduling ment and mandatory education are only the beginning.
can be unpredictable in the perioperative setting; preplanned
education activities or blocks of time reserved for education
may change or be lost at a moment’s notice. Perioperative Contact Hours
staff members may work in less accessible areas of a hospital Contact hour designation is typically reserved for education or
or care setting, making it more difficult for equipment, learning activities that enhance or extend a nurse’s knowledge
education classes, or training to be available to them. and performance. Education activities required as part of a
Perioperative staff members also work in separate rooms or nurse’s job, such as basic or advanced cardiac life support re-
on distinct teams. This case-based work pattern can pose newals or policy updates, may not include continuing educa-
challenges for educators. They may find it difficult to tion contact hours. Program coordinators must apply and be
provide education to a large number of staff members at approved for contact hours by an official accrediting body.
one time, with the exception of early morning huddles or The Competency & Credentialing Institute13 lists several
full staff meetings. acceptable contact hour providers for certain perioperative
certifications. The list includes the American Association
Another concern for many nurses is the cost of some of Critical-Care Nurses, AORN, the American College
continuing education or professional development activities. of Nurse-Midwives, and any state board of nursing or state
Certification review courses, academic programs, member- nurses’ association, among others.14
ships to professional organizations, journal subscriptions,
and national conferences can be costly. Some employers The Competency & Credentialing Institute also highlights
provide special funds for professional development or build perioperative topics approved for CNOR and CRNFA
financial allowances into a clinical ladder or other profes- recertification.13 This approval is important because a certain
sional advancement model. Other organizations do not, number of contact hours required for recertification must be
prompting some nurses to consider these activities as specialty-related. For example, at least 75 of 125 total
nonviable options for ongoing education. A final barrier to required contact hours must be specifically related to peri-
professional development that applies across settings is a real operative nursing to recertify the CNOR credential.15
or perceived lack of support from leaders or peers. Perlstein Specialty-related topics range from communication and legal
et al10 noted lack of support as one of the primary barriers issues to pain management and surgical procedures. In some
to nurses seeking specialty certification. Nurses wishing to cases, contact hours earned from a continuing medical edu-
return to school have cited a need for leadership support cation (CME) program can be counted toward certification
related to inflexible work schedules.11 Peer pressure to or licensure renewal.16,17 Organizations or health care facil-
maintain the status quo on a team or a particular unit may ities can also apply for interprofessional continuing education
serve as a barrier to professional development. However, accreditation, which broadens collaborative education and
when positively channeled, peer pressure could serve as a practice opportunities across medicine, nursing, and phar-
catalyst to support success.12 macy.18 Although all learning is beneficial, nurses who need
to complete a certain number of contact hours annually or
Not knowing what education is needed and what educa- per certification cycle, for example, should be keenly aware of
tional opportunities are available can also stifle nurses’ ef- these important distinctions.
forts to grow, develop, and progress professionally. In this
case, NPD educators can be valuable partners in a nurse’s There are a multitude of resources for nurses who seek
professional development. They can help individual nurses continuing education. Learners should be certain that the ed-
or groups of nurses determine their learning gaps and ucation they intend to pursue for certification, licensure, or
recommend strategies and resources to address them. Their other official purposes is awarded from a credible, approved
expertise as both facilitators of education and subject matter source. Several online sources offer free or low-cost courses for
experts can be leveraged to help customize education and general learning, building a personal library, or for obtaining
streamline the process of identifying resources. contact hours from specific providers, including AORN, the

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sometimes at a discounted rate for participants from partner

Sidebar 1. Professional Development Resources institutions. Some hospitals provide tuition support or remis-
CE archive. AORN Journal. http://www.aornjournal.org/ sion for nurses as a retention strategy or as part of their
content/cme. Accessed April 28, 2017. employee benefits package. Nurses should determine if they can
take advantage of assistance provided by their facility.
Continuing education. AORN, Inc. https://www.aorn
.org/education/individuals/continuing-education. Accessed To engage in professional development, nurses can participate
April 28, 2017. in a process improvement project, create an evidence-based
Continuing professional development. American poster, or submit an abstract for a podium presentation at a
Nurses Association. http://www.nursingworld.org/Main local or national conference. Nurses can attend workshops;
MenuCategories/CertificationandAccreditation/Continuing work with colleagues to write and submit manuscripts for
-Professional-Development. Accessed April 28, 2017. publication; or serve as guest lecturers or panelists at a local
nursing school, health fair, or volunteering event. Serving as a
Education. Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society charge nurse, preceptor, or an active committee member can
of Nursing. http://www.nursingsociety.org/learn-grow/ help build leadership and communication skills. Nurses with
education. Accessed April 28, 2017. as few as one to two years of experience can serve as mentors
for nursing students or new graduate nurses. In specialty or-
NursingCenter: professional development for nurses. ganizations, nurses can volunteer to join or lead committees
Lippincott NursingCenter. http://www.nursingcenter.com. and task forces or help to write position papers on pertinent
Accessed April 28, 2017. issues. They also can serve as writers or content experts for
Nursing continuing education. Nurse.com. http://ce.nurse certification preparation materials. Professional journals often
.com. Accessed April 28, 2017. seek volunteers to serve as manuscript or book reviewers or
serve on their editorial boards.
Nursing knowledge center. ANA Enterprise. https://learn
.ana-nursingknowledge.org. Accessed April 28, 2017. To take advantage of these types of opportunities, nurses need
to plan ahead and communicate their plans to their supervisors.
Nursing online education. Pfiedler Enterprises. http:// They may need to present the benefits of attending an activity
www.pfiedlerenterprises.com/8-nurse/online-education (eg, training to become a unit champion, sharing best practices)
-20100812102420. Accessed April 28, 2017. and request hospital business time. In other situations, nurses
may need to use their own vacation or personal time for edu-
cation. Flexible schedules and some creative planning can allow
Lippincott NursingCenter, and the American Nurses
nurses to make the most of their days off without necessarily
Association (Sidebar 1). Individual professional journal web sites
using vacation or personal time. Many conferences are now
frequently have continuing education articles available for low
scheduled to include a weekend, which helps to minimize the
or no cost to subscribers, and specialty organization web sites
disruption of work schedules and vacation time. Nurses should
typically include links to society journals or other continuing
consider allocating personal funds to supplement any employer
education course offerings. There is a significant amount of
sponsorship, membership, or partnership discounts. One sug-
resources and content available to nurses pursuing NPD.
gestion is to do so each year during benefits open enrollment,
when setting aside funds for child care, flexible spending, and
Additional Opportunities other accounts. Although it takes planning and discipline, the
Professional development activities reach far beyond searching investment in learning is prudent. Some events offer group
for and tracking contact hours. Nurses can take advantage of discounts for a number of colleagues coming from one facility
many other kinds of education offerings either in house, online, or organization, which can help to contain costs. Cancellation,
or through an outside agency. Depending on a nurse’s goals and “no-show,” and refund policies are usually clearly noted for off-
identified learning needs, these activities might include learning site events and are important to consider because even well-laid
skills needed to advance to a new role on the unit or in the attendance plans may change.
organization, seeking specialty certification, or even returning to
school to begin or complete an academic degree. Many aca- These professional development activities not only afford
demic sites offer targeted professional education through tradi- learning experiences, they can also open doors to professional
tional conferences, webinars, or online module-based programs, networking opportunities. Connecting with colleagues and

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leaders within or across specialties can expose nurses to new organize, track, and maintain records is imperative and saves
ideas, practices, and resources. For example, an emerging nurse time and effort in the long run.
manager may connect with an experienced mentor through a
professional leadership group, and this relationship may lead CONCLUSION
to other growth experiences and connections. Professional Perioperative nursing practice encompasses multiple roles and
relationships and networks often develop one interaction at a affects patient populations of all ages. Regardless of their
time, and these network interactions can be coincidental or particular roles or specialties, all perioperative nurses should
intentional. A robust professional network can provide a nurse assess their KSAs continuously as their careers develop.
with support, influence, and recognition and is a valuable Whether their motivations are intrinsic or extrinsic (ie, their
element of a nurse’s successful career path. An NPD educator, efforts may be derived from their individual goals or required
academic mentor, librarian, or experienced colleague can help by bodies such as local boards of nursing), support is available.
guide nurses to take advantage of the endless professional
development activities that are available. Nurses and the NPD specialists who work with them are
wisely moving beyond simply completing skills checklists to
Tracking demonstrate their ongoing competency and growth. They are
An important part of demonstrating growth and competency engaging in active learning that helps solidify positive
is being able to produce an accurate record of ongoing pro- changes and improvements in practice. There are resources
fessional development. Nurses can track their activities elec- that allow nurses to collaborate, solve problems, and learn
tronically or by hard copy or use a combination of both new information and skills at the same time. Leadership and
methods. Even if worksites keep track of employees’ annual accountability begin with individual nurses who identify
competencies and required education using a learning man- their ongoing learning needs and strive to meet them by
agement system, it is wise for nurses to maintain their own engaging in relevant, high-quality learning activities.
records as well. For example, a simple spreadsheet with name; Growth, change, and professional development are the out-
topic; date; type of activity; outcome measure; and number of comes and rewards of intentional and consistent attention to
hours, credits, or contact hours can be used to help organize a nurse’s own learning. The power of nurses’ collective
and track progress. Nurses can use a specific folder, either commitment to ongoing learning can make a tremendous

paper or electronic, as a central catch-all for certificates of contribution to perioperative nursing practice and excellent
completion, contact hour awards, evaluations, and other forms patient care.
of documentation such as copies of conference programs at Editor’s notes: NCLEX is a registered trademark of the
which they gave podium or poster presentations. Nurses National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc, Chicago, IL.
should update their resumes, curriculum vitae, or professional CNOR and CRNFA are registered trademarks of the Competency
advancement portfolios on a regular basis to reflect profes- & Credentialing Institute, Denver, CO. Lippincott
sional development activities. These updates can be performed NursingCenter is a registered trademark of Wolters Kluwer,
either in real time as activities are completed or on a monthly Philadelphia, PA.
or quarterly basis if following a planned schedule is more
realistic. Electronic calendars or schedulers are great tools for
helping perform regular updates. References
1. American Nurses Association. Nursing: Scope and Standards of
Certification bodies, such as the American Nurses Credentialing Practice. 3rd ed. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association;
Center, allow nurses to create online accounts to track profes- 2015.
sional development activities required for certification or 2. American Nurses Association. Position Statement on Professional
renewal.19 Activities might include continuing education, aca- Role Competence. Washington, DC: American Nurses Association.
demic credits, presentations, publication, research, preceptor- http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/Policy-Advocacy/
ships, and professional service (eg, serving on committees). The Positions-and-Resolutions/ANAPositionStatements/Position-State
Competency & Credentialing Institute13 also offers a system for ments-Alphabetically/Professional-Role-Competence.html. Published
2014. Accessed April 28, 2017.
tracking contact hours. These systems aid users in planning and
3. The value of accreditation for continuing nursing education: quality
completing the necessary elements during the course of the education contributing to quality outcomes. American Nurses
licensure or certification cycle. Nurses must identify what type Credentialing Center. http://www.nursecredentialing.org/accreditation/
of structure works best for them and take responsibility for their resourcesservices/accreditation-whitepaper2012.pdf. Published
own professional development. Creating a system to plan, 2012. Accessed April 28, 2017.

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4. American Nurses Credentialing Center. 2015 ANCC Primary 14. Acceptable contact hour providers. Competency & Credentialing
Accreditation Provider Application Manual. Silver Spring, MD: Institute. http://www.cc-institute.org/continuing-education/providers.
American Nurses Credentialing Center; 2015. Accessed April 28, 2017.
5. Harper MG, Maloney P, eds. Nursing Professional Development: 15. Recertify by contact hours. Competency & Credentialing Institute.
Scope & Standards of Practice. 3rd ed. Chicago, IL: Association for http://www.cc-institute.org/cnor/recertify/contact-hours. Accessed
Nursing Professional Development; 2016. April 28, 2017.
6. Continuing education requirements for nurses by state. Lippincott 16. State license CME/CE requirements for physicians, nurse practi-
NursingCenter. http://www.nursingcenter.com/ceconnection/ tioners, and physician assistants. myCME. http://www.mycme
ce-state-requirements. Accessed April 28, 2017. .com/state-licensing-cmece-requirements/section/3858/. Updated
7. del Bueno DJ, Weeks L, Brown-Stewart P. Clinical assessment April 2014. Accessed April 28, 2017.
centers: a cost-effective alternative for competency development. 17. Certification renewal: frequently asked questions. American
Nurs Econ. 1987;5(1):21-26. Nurses Credentialing Center. http://www.nursecredentialing.org/
8. Montgomery L. Perioperative Nurse Competency Continuum Study Certification/CertificationRenewal/RenewalFAQs#renewal. Accessed
[technical paper]. Denver, CO: Competency & Credentialing April 28, 2017.
Institute; 2006. 18. About Joint Accreditation. Joint Accreditation. http://www.joint
9. Neal-Boylan L. The Nurse’s Reality Shift: Using History to accreditation.org/about-joint-accreditation. Accessed April 28, 2017.
Transform the Future. Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau 19. Renew your nursing certification. American Nurses Credentialing
International; 2014. Center. http://www.nursecredentialing.org/Certification/Certification
10. Perlstein L, Hoffmann RL, Lindberg J, Petras D. Addressing bar- Renewal.aspx. Accessed April 28, 2017.
riers to achieving nursing certification: development of a certifi-
cation achievement program on a medical-surgical unit. J Nurses
Prof Dev. 2014;30(6):309-315. Susan L. Bindon, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, is an assistant
11. Romp CR, Kiehl EM, Bickett A, et al. Motivators and barriers to professor at the Institute for Educators at the University of
returning to school: RN to BSN. J Nurses Prof Dev. 2014;30(2): Maryland, School of Nursing, Baltimore. As a coeditor of
83-86. the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development,
12. Phillips T, Titzer Evans JL. RN to BSN transition: a concept Dr Bindon has declared an affiliation that could be
analysis. J Nurses Prof Dev. 2017;33(2):79-85. perceived as posing a potential conflict of interest in the
13. Competency & Credentialing Institute. http://www.cc-institute.org/ publication of this article.
home. Accessed April 28, 2017.

AORN JOURNAL RECEIVES ITS FIRST IMPACT FACTOR

The AORN Journal has been included in Clarivate Analytics’ 2017

Journal Citation Reports® and has received its first-ever Impact
Factor. The Impact Factor designation is based on impact and
influence metrics, along with citation data from the Web of Science,
and measures a journal’s influence in the scientific community.

The Journal would like to thank the myriad authors, peer reviewers,
editors, and publishing partners for their contributions that have
raised the Journal’s standing in scholarly literature and helped the
Journal achieve this prestigious recognition.

www.aornjournal.org AORN Journal j 107

EXAMINATION

Continuing Education:
Professional Development
Strategies to Enhance Nurses’
Knowledge and Maintain Safe
Practice 1.7 www.aornjournal.org/content/cme

PURPOSE/GOAL
To provide the learner with knowledge of best practices related to engaging in nursing professional
development (NPD) activities.

OBJECTIVES
1. Discuss the importance of engaging in various types of NPD activities.
2. Describe the different requirements for NPD activities.
3. Identify barriers to participating in NPD activities.
4. Identify strategies and resources for engaging in NPD activities.

The Examination and Learner Evaluation are printed here for your convenience. To receive
continuing education credit, you must complete the online Examination and Learner Evaluation
at http://www.aornjournal.org/content/cme.

QUESTIONS 3. The NPD Practice Model describes the NPD process as

a(n)
1. Nursing professional development is a part of the cu- a. input-output system.
mulative learning and growth that occurs during a nurse’s b. input-throughput-output system.
career after passing the National Council Licensure c. continuous input system.
Examination (NCLEX) and securing a nursing license. d. input-outcome system.
a. true b. false

2. Lifelong learning
1. can take place inside or outside the work setting. 4. The outputs associated with NPD include
2. helps nurses prepare for new or different roles. 1. professional growth.
3. can take place formally or informally. 2. learning.
4. helps nurses prepare for changes in the practice 3. learning activities.
environment. 4. change.
a. 1 and 3 b. 2 and 4 a. 1 and 3 b. 2 and 4
c. 1, 2, and 4 d. 1, 2, 3, and 4 c. 1, 2, and 4 d. 1, 2, 3, and 4

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August 2017, Vol. 106, No. 2 Professional Development Strategies

5. Every state board of nursing requires a certain number of 8. Perlstein et al noted __________ as one of the primary
continuing nursing education contact hours, professional barriers to nurses seeking specialty certification.
nursing activities, or both per license renewal cycle. a. lack of support b. scheduling
a. true b. false c. cost d. peer pressure

6. The nine perioperative practice domains that can help 9. In addition to earning contact hours, to engage in NPD,
nurse leaders develop appropriate perioperative compe- nurses can
tencies include 1. create an evidence-based poster.
1. communication. 2. submit a manuscript for publication.
2. emergency situations. 3. participate in a process improvement project.
3. professional accountability. 4. serve as a guest lecturer at a local nursing school.
4. patient assessment and diagnosis. 5. lead committees and task forces.
5. discharge planning. 6. attend a workshop.
6. cleaning, disinfecting, packaging, and sterilizing. a. 1, 3, and 5 b. 2, 4, and 6
a. 1, 3, and 5 b. 2, 4, and 6 c. 2, 3, 5, and 6 d. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
c. 2, 3, 5, and 6 d. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 10. Types of NPD activities that nurses should track include
1. academic credits.
7. System barriers to NPD include 2. continuing education.
1. irregular staffing patterns. 3. publication.
2. limited time. 4. presentations.
3. staff motivation. 5. work hours.
a. 1 and 2 b. 1 and 3 a. 4 and 5 b. 1, 2, and 3
c. 2 and 3 d. 1, 2, and 3 c. 1, 2, 3, and 4 d. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

www.aornjournal.org AORN Journal j 109

LEARNER EVALUATION

Continuing Education:
Professional Development
Strategies to Enhance Nurses’
Knowledge and Maintain Safe
Practice 1.7 www.aornjournal.org/content/cme

T his evaluation is used to determine the extent to

which this continuing education program met
your learning needs. The evaluation is printed
here for your convenience. To receive continuing education
credit, you must complete the online Examination and
6.

7.
To what extent were your individual objectives met?
Low 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. High

Will you be able to use the information from this article

in your work setting?
1. Yes 2. No
Learner Evaluation at http://www.aornjournal.org/content/cme.
Rate the items as described below. 8. Will you change your practice as a result of reading this
article? (If yes, answer question #8A. If no, answer
question #8B.)
OBJECTIVES 8A. How will you change your practice? (Select all that apply)
To what extent were the following objectives of this 1. I will provide education to my team regarding why
continuing education program achieved? change is needed.
1. Discuss the importance of engaging in various types of 2. I will work with management to change/implement
NPD activities. a policy and procedure.
Low 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. High 3. I will plan an informational meeting with physicians
to seek their input and acceptance of the need for
2. Describe the different requirements for NPD activities. change.
Low 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. High 4. I will implement change and evaluate the effect of
the change at regular intervals until the change is
3. Identify barriers to participating in NPD activities. incorporated as best practice.
Low 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. High 5. Other: __________________________________
4. Identify strategies and resources for engaging in NPD 8B. If you will not change your practice as a result of
activities. reading this article, why? (Select all that apply)
Low 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. High 1. The content of the article is not relevant to my
practice.
2. I do not have enough time to teach others about the
CONTENT purpose of the needed change.
5. To what extent did this article increase your knowledge 3. I do not have management support to make a
of the subject matter? change.
Low 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. High 4. Other: __________________________________

110 j AORN Journal www.aornjournal.org