NUR 412 – Nursing Leadership and Management

Module 10: Continuing Professional Development

Introduction

Continuing Professional Development. It refers to the process of tracking and

documenting the skills, knowledge and experience that you gain both formally and
informally as you work, beyond any initial training. It’s a record of what you experience,
learn and then apply. The term is generally used to mean a physical folder or portfolio
documenting your development as a professional. Some organisations use it to mean a
training or development plan, which I would argue is not strictly accurate. This article is
about Continuing Professional Development as a process of recording and reflecting on
learning and development.
The CPD process helps you manage your own development on an ongoing basis.
Its function is to help you record, review and reflect on what you learn. It’s not a tick-box
document recording the training you have completed. It’s broader than that.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the module, the student will be able to:

1. Assume responsibility for lifelong learning, own professional development
and maintenance of competence.
2. Demonstrate continued competence and professional growth.
3. Engage in advocacy activities to influence health and social care service
policies and access to services.
4. Model professional behaviour.
5. Engage in advocacy activities to deal with health related concerns and
adopts policies that foster the growth and development of the nursing
profession

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Learning Content

Lesson 1: Philippine Qualification Framework (PQF)

The Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) is a quality-assured national

system for the development, recognition, and award of qualifications based on
standards of knowledge, skills, and values acquired in different ways and methods by
learners and workers of the country. It is a national policy describing the levels of
educational qualifications and setting standards for qualification outcomes.

The PQF is expected to reshape the educational system; the skills and training
competencies, and the mobility and job-readiness of workers; as well as the general
landscape of the labor market in response to the major demographic shifts brought
about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and other economic policies. Through the
adoption of national standards and the development and maintenance of qualifications
pathways and equivalencies, learners and workers are equipped to move easily and
readily between the different education and training sectors within these fields and the
labor market.

The implementation of the PQF shall enhance workers’ employability by ensuring

that their qualifications are relevant to perceived social and economic needs. In
addition, the national qualifications framework supports the national and international
mobility of workers as it strengthens proper recognition of the value and comparability
of skills and qualifications of Overseas Filipino Workers.

The Philippine Qualifications Framework – National Coordinating Council (NCC),

composed of agency principals from the Department of Labor and Employment
(DOLE),the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission of Higher Education
(CHED), the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and theTechnical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), approved the Implementing Rules and
Regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act No. 10968 during its regular NCC meeting on
15 January 2019 at the SEAMEO INNOTECH Commonwealth Ave. Diliman, Quezon
City. Last 2 April 2019, the IRR was signed by all the member agency principals, and
is set to take effect 15 days from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette or
any two newspapers of general circulation.

Salient features of the approved PQF IRR include the institutionalization of the
PQF through the creations of the PQF-NCC and its Working Groups, a review of the
present PQF, and the establishment of a permanent Technical Secretariat.

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Lesson2: Career Development

Career Development is essential for the implementation of career planning. It refers

to a set of programmes designed to match an individual’s needs, abilities and goals
with current or future opportunities in the organisation. It is the process through which
the action plans are implemented. Developmental activities include all of the off-the-
job and on-the-job training techniques.
It is essential that career development be fully integrated with internal staffing
activities. Career development provides a supply of talents and abilities. Individuals
must be committed to and accept responsibility for their career development.

Career Planning
Career planning is an ongoing process through which an individual sets
career goals and identifies the means to achieve them. The process by which
individuals plan their life’s work is referred to as career planning.
"Career planning is a process of systematically matching career goals and
individual capabilities with opportunities for their fulfillment."(Schermerhorn:
2002)
"Career Planning is a deliberate process of becoming aware of self,
opportunities, constraints, choices, and consequences; identifying career-related
goals; and "career pathing" or programming work, education, and related
developmental experiences to provide the direction, timing, and sequence of
steps to attain a specific career goal." {McMahon and Merman: 1987)
Career Planning seeks to meet the following objectives:

1. To provide and maintain appropriate manpower resources in the

organisation by offering careers, not jobs.
2. To provide environment for the effectiveness, efficiency and growth of its
employees and motivating them to contribute effectively towards achieving
the objectives of the organisation.
3. To map out careers of various categories of employees suitable to their
ability, and their willingness to be 'trained and developed for higher
positions.
4. To have a stable workforce by reducing absenteeism and employee
turnover.
5. To cater to the immediate and future human resources need of the
organisation on a timely basis.

• To increase the utilisation of managerial reserves within organisation.

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 Benefits of Career Planning:
1. Career planning ensures a constant supply of promotable employees.
2. It helps in improving the loyalty of employees.
3. Career planning encourages an employee’s growth and development.
4. It discourages the negative attitude of superiors who are interested in
suppressing the growth of the subordinates.
5. It ensures that senior management knows about the calibre and capacity of
the employees who can move upwards.
6. It can always create a team of employees prepared enough to meet any
contingency.
7. Career planning reduces labour turnover.
8. Every organization prepares succession planning towards which career
planning is the first step.

❖ Job Search
The act of searching for employment. A job search is performed when an
individual is either unemployed or dissatisfied with their current position.

❖ Resume/Portfolio Development

A portfolio can consist of a variety of items which may be examples of items

listed on your resume or may illustrate accomplishments, skills, and
achievements not listed on your resume. Like your resume, it is a good idea to
have a master portfolio from which you can pull materials from for each
portfolio you send out or present. Each portfolio you send out or present during
an interview will consist of items applicable to each position or program.
When developing your portfolio, consider including:

• Resume and/or Curriculum Vitae (CV).

• Official copies of your transcript.
• A fact sheet, in list form, that displays your skills and professional interests.
• A list of experiences that might not fit into your resume.
• Certificates of awards and honors; certifications for special trainings.
• A program or flyer from an event you planned or participated in.
• A list of conferences & workshops you have attended with descriptions.
• Samples of your writing, including research papers and other academic
work.
• Documentation of technical or computer skills.
• Letters of commendation or thanks.
• Letters of nomination to honors and academic organizations.

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 • Newspaper articles that address achievements.
• Internship or co-op summary report.
• Personal statements, goals statements, statements of purpose.
• Documents specific to your field (i.e. artist statements).
• Photos demonstrating your professional experience, including captions.
• A disk containing your e-Portfolio.

Employers use resumes throughout the hiring process to learn more about
applicants and whether they might be a good fit. Your resume should be easy to read,
summarize your accomplishments and skills, and highlight relevant experience. Below
are 10 tips to help you write a great resume.
Resume writing tips
1. Look for keywords in the job postings- The best place to start when preparing
to write a resume is to carefully read the job postings that interest you. As you
apply for different jobs, you should study each job description for keywords that
show what the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. Include those
keywords in your resume where relevant.
2. Review resume examples for your industry-
• Make it simple and easy to read. Resume samples are simple and
straightforward. This is because employers have a minimal amount of time
to review your resume, so readability is key. This also means selecting a
professional, clean font.
• Make it brief. You’ll notice that each section of the resume sample is short
and to-the-point, including the summary and experience descriptions.
Including only the most key and relevant information means employers are
able to consume more information about you, and more quickly understand
your fitness for the role.
• Include numbers. You might also notice that there are often metrics included
in the experience section of resume samples. This is because employers
are highly responsive to measurable proven value. Numbers allow them to
better understand the value you may bring to the position. For example, one
bullet point under the experience description for an administrative assistant
reads, “Executed processing of vendor contracts and implemented a
standardized process, reducing contract discrepancies by 90%.”

3. Use a professional font

Because employers have only a short time to review your resume, it should be
as clear and as easy to read as possible. You should use a basic, clean font
like Arial or Times New Roman. Keep your font size between 10 and 12 points.
Selecting a clear, readable font will help make your resume appear more
professional.

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 4. Include only the most relevant information and put the most important
information first
While you might have extensive work or educational experience, it’s important
to keep your resume as brief as possible without leaving out key information.
Hiring managers don’t spend a lot of time reading each resume. Research has
shown that hiring managers tend to spend only 6 seconds per resume. If your
resume includes old or irrelevant information, such as jobs held over 10 years
ago or minor degrees and achievements, it may distract from key information.
5. Use active language
Your resume should be written using active language without extraneous
words. This means using power words, such as “achieved,” “earned,”
“completed” or “accomplished.” If your resume is too long or seems hard to
read, you might consider making sentences shorter or ideas more concise.
6. Call attention to important achievements
Instead of listing your job duties under the experience section, select your top
three or four most important achievements in each role you’ve held. Where
possible, include numbers that measure your success for that particular goal or
achievement.
7. Only include subheadings and sections you need
Whether you’re using a resume template or creating your own, you may find
there are some recommended sections you do not need.
8. Choose appropriate margins
Typically you should use a one-inch margin size on all sides of your resume
with single spaces between the lines. If you have too much white space, you
might consider making your lines spaced by 1.15 or 1.5. You can also increase
your margins if you find it is difficult to fill your resume, but they should stay
below two inches.
9. Proofread and edit
Before sending your resume, you should undergo several rounds of
proofreading to ensure there are no spelling or grammar errors. While there are
several proofreading programs and tools you can use, it is also helpful to ask
trusted friends or colleagues to review your resume. It is helpful for an objective
third party to look at your resume as an employer might to find ways you can
correct or improve it.

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 10. Decide whether you need a unique resume for different jobs
Before submitting an application, you should ask yourself, “Have I made it as
easy as possible for this employer to see that I’m qualified?”. If you’re applying
for a job that has unique requirements, you may need another version of your
resume to fully demonstrate your qualifications. Decide on a case by case basis
which resume to use.
❖ Tracking Job Leads
When you are searching for a job how do you keep track of leads, prospects,
and interviews? A simple spreadsheet with a few pieces of the key information
can help you to land that opportunity you’ve been looking for track who you
are talking to, where you are applying, when you turned in your application,
and when to follow-up.
Keep it really light weight and only track the essential information.
Company: The name of the company you’re applying to. (like: Joe’s Fishing
Consulting).
Position: The title of the position (Senior Bait Consultant).
Contact Person: The person you addressed in your cover letter, the person
you turned your application in to, or the person that will be reviewing the
applications (how do you know? You ask.).
Phone Number: Contact’s phone number.
Business Address: The business’s address.
Date Application Dropped Off: The date you turned in your application /
resume.
When You Should Follow Up: When should you call and ask if they have had
a chance to review your application / what the next step is / if they have any
questions. Call 2-3 days after you turn in your application / resume.
Notes: Any notes or reminders (They’re accepting resumes until the 28th and
then scheduling interviews. Call back on the 1st and ask for Joe).
Application Status: Keep track of 4 statuses: Lead , Prospect, Interview,
and Stalled.

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 ❖ Job Interview

A job interview is an interview consisting of a conversation between a job

applicant and a representative of an employer which is conducted to assess
whether the applicant should be hired. Interviews are one of the most
popularly used devices for employee selection. Interviews vary in the extent to
which the questions are structured, from a totally unstructured and free-
wheeling conversation, to a structured interview in which an applicant is asked
a predetermined list of questions in a specified order structured interviews are
usually more accurate predictors of which applicants will make suitable
employees, according to research studies.

A job interview typically precedes the hiring decision. The interview is

usually preceded by the evaluation of submitted résumés from interested
candidates, possibly by examining job applications or reading many resumes.
Next, after this screening, a small number of candidates for interviews is
selected.

❖ Resignation

When an individual sees career opportunities elsewhere which are not

available in the existing organisation, resignation may be the only alternative.
When used sparingly, it results in promotion, salary increase and a new
learning experience.

What to Include in a Resignation Letter

When you resign from your job, it's important to resign gracefully and
professionally. Here's what to include:
Your Intent to Resign: Give adequate notice to your employer, write a
formal resignation letter, and be prepared to move on prior to submitting your
resignation. Your letter should start with the fact that you're resigning.
Your Last Day of Employment: Resignation letters not only describe
the employee’s intent to leave but also provide information about the last day to
be worked and other requests or details. This eases the transition for both
employer and employee.
An Offer to Assist with the Transition: Often, resignation letters will
also offer to help in the transition, whether it be by recruiting or training a
replacement. In this way, both the employee and the employer can leave the
situation with closure and a sense of respect and amicability.

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 Your Contact Information: Include your personal contact information,
so it's easy for the company to get in touch with you.

Succession planning
Succession planning is a process for identifying and developing new leaders who
can replace old leaders when they leave, retire or die. Succession planning
increases the availability of experienced and capable employees that are prepared
to assume these roles as they become available. Taken narrowly, "replacement
planning" for key roles is the heart of succession planning.

Membership in Professional Nursing Organization

Professional nursing organizations support nurses and advance the nursing
profession. By joining one or more associations, you can continue to have access to
the research-based learning and leadership training offered in an RN to BSN or
other nursing program.
Professional Membership includes both Regular and Associate Members and is
designed to provide resources, information, and community to writers.
Membership in a professional nursing organization provides nurses with
continuing education, certification opportunities, role-related competencies and
educational conferences. Changes in healthcare occur almost daily. Aligning with a
nursing organization that supports your specialty or population of practice positions
nurses to be on the forefront of practice changes. Nursing organizations promote
and encourage the use of evidence-based practice to its members. Nurses who are
certified in their specialty will find that their nursing professional organization will
offer continuing education that is pertinent to their practice. Many nursing
organizations hold annual nursing conferences. These conferences bring nurses
together from across the country, and oftentimes worldwide, to share education and
best practices. They also offer the opportunity to network with nursing colleagues
from around the globe.

Benefits of Membership
1. Staying up to date with news and changes in the nursing profession and
developing a broader perspective.
2. Access to continuing education, often at discounted rates. Some nursing
organizations also have an official journal that includes peer-reviewed
clinical articles and research.

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 3. Networking opportunities. Online forums, local meetings and networking
events, and an annual convention are often available.
4. Career assistance. Organizations often have a career center that posts
job openings, offers advice about the job search process, and provides
information such as typical salaries and benefits.
5. Discounts on products and resources such as newsletters and certification
review materials. Some nursing organizations feature member discounts
on auto, life, and professional liability insurance and special credit card
offers.
6. Certification. Many specialty nursing organizations offer certification in
that specialty.

Lesson 3: Continuing Professional Development

Continuing professional development, or CPD, is the ongoing process of

developing, maintaining and documenting your professional skills.

These skills may be gained formally, through courses or training, or informally, on

the job or by watching others.

Some professions use the term 'continuing professional develment' formally, and
require a certain amount of development activity to be carried out and documented
each year as a condition of maintaining your membership of, or registration with, a
professional body, or a licence to operate in that field.

In other areas, CPD is used more informally. A commitment to learning and

improving is, however, generally expected of anyone in a professional capacity.
Staff Development
Staff development can be viewed as the activities and programs (formal or informal
and on or off campus) that help staff members learn about responsibilities, develop
required skills and competencies necessary to accomplish institutional and divisional
goals and purposes, and grow personally and professionally to prepare themselves for
advancement in the institution or beyond the campus.
Because job descriptions, individual goals and even the mission of the institution,
division or department may change, staff development plans will be reviewed on a regular
basis. Changes to the staff development plan shall be made as needed. Both the
supervisor and the staff member must agree upon changes.

Staff development policy should be directed toward the following objectives:

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 • Clarify expectations for the continued professional education of each staff
member
• Specify the options available for staff improvement
• Make clear the connection between continuous professional development
and institutional rewards
• Ensure adequate funding for staff development activities
• Purposefully determine staff development activities based upon a careful
assessment of staff member needs
• Employ accepted methods of teaching and learning in staff development
activities
Formal and Non-Formal Education
Formal education: the hierarchically structured, chronologically graded ‘education
system’, running from primary school through the university and including, in addition
to general academic studies, a variety of specialised programmes and institutions
for full-time technical and professional training.
Non-formal education: any organised educational activity outside the established
formal system – whether operating separately or as an important feature of some
broader activity – that is intended to serve identifiable learning clienteles and
learning objectives.
Formal education is linked with schools and training institutions; non-formal with
community groups and other organizations

Lesson 4: Professional Advocacy

Advocacy is about working together to have your views heard…

1. Advocacy involvement is short term, independent

2. Advocates work with people on their specific issues.
3. Advocates listen to what you want
4. Advocates remain independent – to support you to express your views and
wishes.
5. Your Advocate will support you to understand and exercise your rights.
6. Your Advocate will support you to research information
7. Your Advocate will treat you with respect and dignity
8. Your Advocate will enable you to be kept informed of progress

Advocacy has been recognized as one of the most vital and basic roles of the
nursing profession. The role of advocacy, though, is an intricate one. “Nurses may
act as advocating by promoting informed decisions, by acting as liaisons or by
interceding for another individual. The term advocacy in its simplest outline means

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 standing up for what one believes in for both self and others. Nursing advocacy then
is a form of representation that nurses do for patients and others when they are not
able to speak up for themselves. The nurses who advocate for patients and others
do so within a nurturing capability.” The objectives of the advocate are to notify,
enhance independence and respect the decision of the patient (“Patient,
Subordinate and Professional Advocacy, n.d.). Simply put, advocates are often the
go between or mediator between the healthcare system and the patient.
Professional nursing organizations tend to support the role of nurses as advocates
at all levels. The nursing profession has for many years suffered as a result of politics
within organizations. This has resulted in powerlessness among nurses in both
behavior and morale. In nursing philosophy, nurses should be involved in the
process of both professional and personal levels in understanding the laws and
regulations that govern certain acts in the creation of nursing policy. This is why
professional advocacy is an essential area within the realm of advocacy. Advocacy
and health care policy go hand in hand at most professional nursing associations
and organizations. The professional nursing organization is the voice of reason
within the conflict and struggle that comes as a result of the legislative process. It is
through professional nursing advocacy that many novice nurses even consider
being advocates (Sheehan, 2010). Professional advocacy can be defined then as
the foundational groundwork of advocacy as a whole.

Recommended learning materials and resources for supplementary reading.

Continuing Professional Development, Available at: http://plai.org.ph/cpd/cpd-guidelines/

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