Reporting to the Senior Director, RN Education, the Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Specialist designs, delivers, and evaluates education across the continuum of care, ensuring alignment with evidence-based practice, regulatory standards, and system priorities. The NPD Specialist supports onboarding, competency management, and ongoing professional development by applying adult learning principles and leveraging innovative modalities.
Through data-informed strategies, the NPD Specialist fosters a culture of inquiry, continuous improvement, and professional growth, ultimately enhancing clinical practice and patient outcomes. As a key member of the leadership team, the NPD Specialist facilitates learning, practice transitions, and organizational change to advance nursing excellence. PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND
Evaluates learning needs through formal and informal assessments and provides just‑in‑time education to address emerging or immediate practice gaps. Collaborates with unit, entity, and system leaders to develop and deliver tailored education programs that align with learner needs and practice settings. Utilizes adult learning principles and multiple modalities to engage staff and ensure effective knowledge and skill transfer.
Incorporates innovation and technology to enhance learning experiences. Plans, develops, implements, and evaluates onboarding programs for new hires and role transitions, ensuring seamless integration from classroom to clinical practice. Designs and delivers service line programs that increase Brown University Health’s quality and standards of care.
Defines, assesses, evaluates and validates initial and ongoing clinical competencies to meet standards of care and regulatory requirements. In partnership with system leaders, evaluates clinical performance and creates action plans as necessary to drive improved system performance. Provides group teaching, individualized coaching, evaluation and builds preceptor capacity to support professional development.
Encourages certification, career advancement, and lifelong learning to cultivate a continuous-learning culture. Promotes and translates evidence-based practice into clinical care. Supports policy development, EBP projects, and initiatives.
Measures impact on clinical outcomes and fosters a culture of inquiry and continuous improvement. Participates in system quality assessments and improvement programs to evaluate effectiveness of care delivered and makes recommendations for improved individual, unit, and system performance. Collaborates on system committees and initiatives to develop/standardize education and implement new practice innovations.
Serves as a change agent by anticipating barriers and implementing strategies that enhance adoption and sustainment of new practices, technologies, and workflows. Partners with leadership to align education with organizational priorities. Strengthens interprofessional relationships and collaborates with unit, facility, and system teams to implement educational components of new practice initiatives.
Aligns education strategies with organizational goals and quality initiatives. Uses metrics and feedback to prioritize learning needs, evaluate program effectiveness, and drive continuous improvement. Tracks and reports system outcomes to support accreditation readiness and leadership decision-making.
Maintains accurate records of competencies, attendance, evaluations, and outcomes. Ensures educational activities adhere to accreditation criteria and regulatory standards. Interviews for new hires/transfers and selects applicants in collaboration with Nurse Managers.
Mentors and coaches clinical teams to support retention, staff engagement, and professional growth, while implementing initiatives that improve job satisfaction and workforce stability. Evaluates staff in collaboration with Nurse Managers. Performs other related duties as assigned to support departmental operations, organizational priorities, and the evolving needs of nursing education.
Master’s in Nursing, (MSN) required
Current RN license in applicable state(s); in good standing. Certification: BLS certification required; ACLS/PALS certification and AHA instructor certification(s) preferred. Certification: NPD specialty or other professional certification required within 1 year of hire.
3–5 years of nursing experience required; prior experience in education required.
Expertise in adult learning, curriculum design, and evaluation Proficiency with EBP, research utilization, and outcomes measurement Strong collaboration, communication, and change-management skills Comfort with learning technologies/LMS and data-informed decision making SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Provides guidance and direction to team members assigned to specific projects Interviews and selects applicants in conjunction with Nurse Managers Evaluates staff in collaboration with Nurse Managers WORK ENVIRONMENT AND
Primarily onsite within assigned entities; travel across Brown University Health sites for system initiatives and education delivery is required. Standard business hours with flexibility for off-shift education and unit support as needed.
EEO Statement: Brown University Health is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Location: Rhode Island Hospital - 593 Eddy Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903 Work Type: M-F 8:00am-5:00pm Work
Day Daily Hours: 8 hours Driving Required: No