Professional development in nursing students: A Walker and Avant concept analysis

Professional development in nursing is essential for adapting to the changing needs of society and evolving healthcare delivery. However, the concept lacks clarity, and no universally agreed-upon definition within the literature exists. Bearing this in mind, a clear definition of professional development is required in order to understand, recognise and encourage professional development within nursing practice and service delivery.

The purpose of this paper is to undertake a concept analysis of professional development with reference to nursing.

A framework based on Walker and Avant's stages of concept analysis was used.

Literature was accessed via PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science, combining search terms "professional development" and "nursing". Of 1080 articles sourced, 18 were included in the final analysis to determine the uses, attributes, antecedents and consequences of the concept.

Findings revealed three attributes for professional development in nursing and include: activities that are continuous and context-relevant; offer flexible and multi-modal learning opportunities; and have social and collaborative elements. The antecedents identified included intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors, organizational support and culture, while the consequences included individual competency development and career advancement, high-quality patient care and safety, improved organizational-level healthcare outcomes and financial efficiencies.

This concept analysis has clarified the meaning of professional development in nursing and presents a working definition and conceptual model. These findings have the potential to improve the understanding and communication of the concept within clinical practice, research, education and policymaking, and provide a foundation for future application and development.