Professional

Development
Kelly Jo Morrison
The University of
Arizona
Abilities: Direct Patient
Care
Personal strengths
Therapeutic communication, organization,
empathy
Opportunities for growth
Time management, experience with needle sticks,
overall confidence
Short term goals (present-2 years)
Improve time management, confidence
Adapt to unit
Long term goals (3-5 years)
Continuing education, expand skill level and
receive certifications
Abilities: Unit Leadership
Personal strengths
Empowerment, accountability, collaboration
Opportunities for growth
Delegation, decisiveness
Short term goals (present-2 years)
Gain experience in delegation
Shadow leaders on unit
Long term goals (3-5 years)
Become preceptor
Become charge nurse
Professional Development
Short term goals
Join nursing organization
Receive nursing journal
Stay up to date on evidence-based
practice
Long term goals
Continue education to become nurse
practitioner
Enroll in PhD program
Participate in research
Management/Leadership Book
Your1st Year as a Nurse: Making
the Transition from Total Novice to
Successful Professional
Provided advice for areas of improvement:
time management and confidence
Beneficial to my professional growth
Importance of networking,
communicating, meeting others, getting
involved, dealing with conflict
(Cardillo, 2010)
Leadership Shadowing
Charge Nurse (4 hours)
Rational: Understand the role of this
member of team
New knowledge: Roles/responsibilities
of charge nurse, required skills
Nurse Manager (4 hours)
Rational: Interest in management in
future
New knowledge: roles/responsibilities,
importance of communication, how to
be an effective leader
Professional Activities
Basic
Life Support class (3.5
hours)
Rationale: Update certification
New knowledge: Updated CPR information,
relearned important information
IPEP Activity (4.5 hours)
Rationale: Gain experience in working with
interdisciplinary team
New knowledge: Roles of other members
of team, effective team building activities
 Professional Timeline

1 mo. 2 mo. 1 year 1.5 2 years 5 years

years
Pass Complete Become
NCLEX orientation charge
Begin Become nurse
Receive
New preceptor
FNP/
Grad and
DNP
Program chemo-
certified
 Educational Plans
Personal aspirations
Become patient advocate, strong team member,
effective leader
Potential opportunities
Become preceptor/mentor
Join committees
Short term goals (present-2 years)
Become charge nurse
Receive certifications
Long term goals (3-5 years)
Become FNP
Get involved in management
References
Cardillo,
D. W. (2010). Your first year as
a nurse: Making the transition from
total novice to successful professional
(2nd ed.). New York, NY: Three Rivers
Press.