Professional Development Specialist-RN

The Professional Development Specialist (PDS) is a self-directed, professional registered nurse with advanced knowledge and expertise specific to his/her clinical area. The PDS serves as an educator, change agent, researcher, servant leader role model and mentor.  The PDS role is developed in relationship to responsibilities and specialty population of practice.  The PDS will be centrally based and may have additional responsibilities within the department as the need arises. 

Duties and Responsibilities: Onboarding:

Assessment

• Communicates with new employee before start date to make introductions, identify learning style, provides an overview of the orientation process and attempt to alleviate fears and apprehensions.

Diagnosis

• Collaborates with the Clinical Manager when a new hire is finalized and hire date is established. There will be discussion regarding new employee’s previous work history, clinical background and possible learning needs.

Identification of Educational Outcomes

• Prepares a competency-based unit orientation for new hires based on objectives and needs of orientee.

Planning

• Prepares a clinical orientation schedule for each new employee based on the employee’s previous work experience and clinical background.
• Collaborates with manager to identify a compatible preceptor and determine the anticipated length of orientation.

Implementation

• Works closely with Orientation Team to ensure new employees have attended all classroom orientation before being oriented to the clinical department.
• Schedules and facilitates “class day” for a new employee that is scheduled on the unit to acclimate the new staff member to the physical environment, department standards, performance expectations, and requirements and competencies identified in the new employee’s job description.
• Provides instruction to new employee on infection control, emergency equipment and typical equipment/products used in the department.
• Review importance of customer service.
• Provides new employee with a Clinical Performance Record.

Evaluation

• Has daily conversations with preceptor regarding orientee’s competency-based orientation plan. Follows up to ensure preceptor documents daily progress. 
• Meets with orientee, preceptor and manager (if necessary) during the clinical orientation to discuss progress, set new goals, facilitate conflict resolution strategies and provide feedback.
• Evaluates and documents orientee’s progress  weekly. 
• Provides input into the 90 day evaluation of all new employees.
• Encourages new hires to evaluate the orientation process and makes revision to orientation content based on this input.

Duties and Responsibilities:  On-Going Staff Education:

Assessment

• Evaluates the learning needs of the staff at least annually.

Diagnosis

• Maintains current knowledge of nursing practice in the clinical setting.
• Keeps abreast of educational requirements for all job categories which pertain to clinical care.

Identification of Educational Outcomes

• Prepares and/or coordinates staff education for new products, medications, equipment, services provided, performance improvement initiatives and/or regulatory requirements

Planning

• Refers to professional literature and evidence-based practice when preparing educational materials.
• Maintains Basic Life Support Instructor certification and teaches BLS classes minimally four times in a two year period as deemed necessary.
• Collaborates with vendors, physicians, other nurses or professional staff to provide staff education.
• Updates content of Education Day annually in collaboration with other educators or unit council members as deemed appropriate per department.

Implementation

• Ensures that all staff is scheduled for and attend Education Day annually as deemed appropriate per department.
• Ensures that staff completes all required, mandatory education.