Nursing Professional Development Specialist - Behavioral Health

Hospital for Special Care•New Britain, CT

23d•Onsite

About The Position

The Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Specialist is responsible for enhancing nursing competencies and advancing clinical practice and nursing research. Through skill development, the NPD Specialist ensures clinical competence and professional growth within the behavioral health units and throughout the organization. This role combines clinical knowledge with performance improvement to drive patient outcomes. The NPD Specialist supports HFSC’s mission by promoting evidence-based practice, improving patient outcomes, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and excellence in nursing care.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Nursing (MSN) or related field required. DNP preferred.
Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN) with relevant experience may be considered.
Current Registered Nurse (RN) license in CT.
BLS, PALS and ACLS (or as applicable to clinical area).
Minimum of 3–5 years of clinical nursing experience in an acute care and/or behavioral health.
Strong clinical knowledge and teaching skills.
Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal abilities.
Proficient in adult learning principles, educational technology, and competency-based education.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and adapt to changing healthcare environments.
Ability to collaborate with nursing units, multidisciplinary departments across multiple hospital departments.
Job requires independent problem identification abstract reasoning and adaptability to changing environments and information.
Application of previously acquired knowledge, flexibility of thought and organizational skills are necessary.
Quick decision making is required.
A high degree of selective attention, discernment, perception and concentration is necessary.
Job requires a written proficiency in English, including attention to detail, adherence to all elements of style, and ability to postulate.
A working knowledge and familiarity with professional/medical terms and definitions is required.
Job requires a high-degree of communication skills including expression of abstract/complex ideas, use of negotiation and active listening, and an ability to dialogue with multiple parties.
Must be able to teach and assess skills of staff members.
Job requires reading and auditory comprehension of abstractions and an ability to make inferences.
A working knowledge and familiarity with professional/medical documentation is necessary.
Job requires the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide with all units of measure, and the ability perform these operations with common and decimal fractions.
Must be able to compute ratio, rate, and percent and perform arithmetic operations involving units of weights, measures, and volume.
Job requires working indoors in an occasionally noisy and distracting environment.
Job requires working continuously with others.
Schedule fluctuation may be required to meet the demands of the position.
Maintains 24-hour oversight to implement nursing projects and initiatives.
Job involves handling blood and body fluids.
May need to drive to other hospital locations as needed
Response to emergencies is required.

Nice To Haves

Certification in Nursing Professional Development (NPD-BC) or Clinical Specialty preferred.
Prior experience in staff education, clinical instruction, or leadership preferred.
Previous experience working in Magnet designated organization(s) preferred.

Responsibilities

Assess learning needs and develop educational plans for nursing and ancillary staff.
Design, coordinate, and deliver orientation, competency programs, and continuing education.
Facilitate clinical skills training, simulation sessions, and workshops.
Serve as a resource for nurses in clinical practice, policies, and evidence-based care.
Serve as a Safety Care instructor
Develop and update educational materials, curricula, and clinical guidelines.
Evaluate effectiveness of educational interventions through assessments, feedback, and outcome measures.
Ensure all programs comply with hospital policies, accreditation, and regulatory standards.
Assists with the design, implementation and evaluation of the Nurse Residency Program to support the successful transition of new graduate nurses into professional practice.
Collaborate with Clinical Directors/ Managers and interprofessional teams to identify performance gaps and training priorities.
Support staff in clinical settings through mentoring, coaching, and role modeling best practices.
Participate in quality improvement initiatives and patient safety projects.
Supports career ladder and succession planning initiatives within the nursing division.
Participates in committees, taskforces, and quality improvement projects to enhance patient outcomes and nursing practice.
Acts as a change agent and role model, supporting the implementation of evidence-based practice and nursing research.
Maintain current knowledge of nursing practices, education strategies, and healthcare technologies.
Promote lifelong learning and professional certification among staff nurses.
Participate in professional organizations and continuing education activities.
Other duties as assigned