A professional development model: rewarding excellence in nursing practice

Change continues to be the only constant in health care. The array of rapid and complex changes in the provision of health care services is dramatically affecting the development needs of professional nursing staff. The model presented describes a theoretical framework designed to support the philosophy of both continuous learning and professional development of nurses and also provides a structure for systematic implementation of objectives, content, and learning activities. Linking of professional development models with reward systems is rapidly becoming a successful strategy for organizations in achieving cost-quality outcomes. This model provides a map for staff and management to support, recognize, and reward professional development.