ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

PART 1: DEVELOPING AN ACADEMIC
AND PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
When was the last time you read Meditation XVII of John Donne's Devotions Upon
Emergent Occasions?
Unless you are a student of seventeenth-century poetry, you may not be all that familiar
with this piece. However, you may be much more familiar with one of its well-known
phrases: “No man is an island...”.
As you begin your journey toward achieving your academic and professional goals, you
have a great opportunity to network with academics and professionals who can help
ensure you do not travel alone. This network can help to clarify your own vision for
success and can help guide you now and in the future. To paraphrase Donne, no one is
an island.
Begin creating an academic and professional network by identifying which academic
and professional connections and resources with which you need to collaborate to
succeed in your MSN program and as a practicing nurse.

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.

Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

WEEKLY RESOURCES

 Nurse.org. (n.d.). List of nursing organizationsLinks to an external site.. Retrieved

October 12, 2018, from https://nurse.org/orgs.shtml
 Schmidt, K. (n.d.). 5 reasons nurses should engage in professional networking Links
to an external site. [Blog post]. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from
https://blog.bluepipes.com/5-reasons-nurses-should-take-professional-networking-
seriously/
 Walden University (n.d.). Connect to WaldenLinks to an external site.. Retrieved
October 12, 2018, from https://www.waldenu.edu/connect
 Walden University. (n.d.). College of Nursing. Retrieved October June 5, 2020, from
https://www.waldenu.edu/about/colleges-schools/college-of-nursing
Review the College of Nursing's vision and mission.
 Walden University. (n.d.). Walden University catalogLinks to an external site..
Retrieved October 4, 2019, from https://catalog.waldenu.edu
Select College of Nursing, then Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Review the
MSN Learning Outcomes on this page.
 Walden University. (n.d.). Walden University catalogLinks to an external site..
Retrieved October 4, 2019, from https://catalog.waldenu.edu
Select Introduction, then the link "Vision, Mission, and Goals" under the Introduction
header. Review Walden's vision, mission, and goals.
 Walden University. (n.d.). Writing CenterLinks to an external site.. Retrieved October
12, 2018, from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter
 Wofford, P. (2018, May 24). 10 networking tips for nurses who hate networking Links
to an external site.. Retrieved from https://nurse.org/articles/tips-for-nurse-
networking/
 Document: Academic Success and Professional Development Plan
Template Download Academic Success and Professional Development Plan
Template(Word document)
 Document: Discussion Posting Exemplars Download Discussion Posting
Exemplars(PDF)

To Prepare:

 Consider individuals, departments, teams, and/or resources within Walden

University and within your profession that you believe can support your academic
and professional success.
 Identify at least two academic and at least two professional individuals, colleagues,
or teams that might help you succeed in your MSN program and as a practicing
nurse.
 Download the Academic Success and Professional Development Plan Template.

The Assignment:
Academic and Professional Network
Complete Part 1 of your Academic Success and Professional Development Plan
Template. Be sure to address the following:

 Identify at least two academic and at least two professional individuals or teams to
collaborate with to be successful in your MSN program and as a practicing nurse.
 Explain why you selected these individuals and/or teams and how they will support
your success in the MSN program and as a practicing nurse.
 BY DAY 7

Submit Part 1 of your Academic Success and Professional Development Plan

Template.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To
check your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.

1. To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK1Assgn+last

name+first initial.
2. Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.
3. Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.
Rubric
NURS_6002_Week_1_Assignment_Rubric
 NURS_6002_Week_1_Assignment_Rubric

Criteria Ratings Pts

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning
OutcomeComplet
e Part 1 of your 40 to >35.0 pts 35 to >31.0 pts 31 to >27.0 pts 27 to >0 pts
Academic Excellent Good Fair Poor
Success and The response clearly The response clearly The response The response
Professional and accurately and accurately includes fewer includes two or
identifies the names, identifies the names, than two each fewer academic
Development Plan titles, and titles, and (academic and and professional
Template. Be sure organizations of at organizations of two professional) individuals,
to: · Identify at least two academic academic individuals individuals, or is response does 40 pt
least two individuals or teams or teams and two missing the full not include s
academic and at and at least two professional name, title, or names, titles and
professional individuals or teams organization of organization or
least two individuals or teams to collaborate with to one or more response is
professional to collaborate with to be successful in the individual. missing.
individuals or be successful in the MSN program and as
teams to MSN program and as a practicing nurse.
collaborate with a practicing nurse.
to be successful in
the MSN program
and as a
practicing nurse.
 NURS_6002_Week_1_Assignment_Rubric

Criteria Ratings Pts

This criterion is
linked to a
Learning
OutcomeExplain
why these
individuals and/or
teams were 55 to >49.0 pts 49 to >43.0 pts 43 to >38.0 pts 38 to >0 pts
Excellent Good Fair Poor
selected. Explain
Response clearly Response explains Explanation of Explanation of why
how these and thoroughly why the academic why the academic the academic and
individuals and/or explains why the and professional and professional professional
teams will support academic and individuals/teams individuals/teams individuals/teams
success in the professional were selected to were selected to were selected to
MSN program individuals/teams support success in support success in support success in
were selected to the MSN program the MSN program the MSN program
and as a support success in and as a practicing and as a practicing and as a practicing
practicing nurse. the MSN program nurse. ... Response nurse is vague. ... nurse is vague and
and as a practicing explains how the Explanation of inaccurate or is 55 pt
nurse....Response academic and how the academic missing. ... s
clearly and professional and professional Explanation of how
accurately explains individuals/teams individuals/teams the academic and
how the academic will support will support professional
and professional success in the success in the individuals/teams
individuals/teams MSN program and MSN program and will support
will support as a practicing as a practicing success in the MSN
success in the MSN nurse. nurse is vague. program and as a
program and as a practicing nurse is
practicing nurse. vague and
inaccurate or is
missing.

This criterion is
linked to a 5 to >4.0 pts 4 to >3.0 pts 3 to >2.0 pts 2 to >0 pts
Learning Excellent Good Fair Poor
OutcomeWritten Uses correct Contains a few Contains several Contains many (five or
Expression and grammar, (one or two) (three or four) more) grammar, spelling,
5 pts
Formatting— spelling, and grammar, grammar, and punctuation errors
punctuation with spelling, and spelling, and that interfere with the
English Writing no errors. punctuation punctuation reader’s understanding.
Standards:Correct errors. errors.
grammar,
 NURS_6002_Week_1_Assignment_Rubric

Criteria Ratings Pts

mechanics, and
proper
punctuation.

Total Points: 100