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From the desk of Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN

Staff Development Weekly: Insight on Evidence-Based Practice in Education, December 31, 2010

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Editor's note: This feature is written by nursing staff development expert Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN. Each week, Adrianne writes about an important issue in the area of staff development or answers reader questions. If you have a question for Adrianne, e-mail her at adrianne1@comcast.net.

Q: I am the manager of a staff development department and am in the process of compiling a list of resources for my staff's continuing education (e.g., journal articles, books). Most of my staff are members of the National Nursing Staff Development Organization (NNSDO). Are there other professional associations related to healthcare educators?

A: There are several organizations that you and your staff members may want to investigate. As you've already noted, many staff development educators are familiar with NNSDO. Its mission is to advance the "specialty practice of staff development for the enhancement of healthcare outcomes. Staff development as a specialty of nursing practice is defined by standards, based on research, and critical to quality patient and organizational outcomes." NNSOD also has a number of regional affiliates in various states across the country.

NNSDO offers online continuing education, books related to the specialty, networking opportunities, mentoring opportunities, and best practice identification. Its annual convention provides a large variety of educational and networking opportunities and it encourages members to submit abstracts for presentation at the convention as well. The official journal is the Journal for Nurses in Staff Development. For more information, access NNSDO at www.nnsdo.org.

Another organization that focuses on adult education in all workplaces (not only healthcare) is the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD). ASTD was started in 1943, and is the "world's largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals," according to its website. Members come from more than 100 countries and there are more than 130 chapters in the United States alone. The organization's official journal is Training + Development. ASTD provides a number of resources, including books, benchmarking, online information, a career center, conferences, and networking. It offers certification as the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP). For more information, access ASTD at www.astd.org.

I was able to locate two additional professional associations, both of which focus on healthcare education. The Health Care Education Association (HCEA) is a "multi-disciplinary professional organization of health care educators that creates resources, instruction, and communications for both staff and clients," according to its website. Its objectives include to provide opportunities for the professional development of health care educators, provide relevant resources on healthcare education, and encourage collaboration and networking among professionals and organizations." Access HCEA at www.hcea-info.org.

The American Association for Health Education "serves health educators and other professionals who promote the health of all people through education and health promotion strategies," according to its website. The organization offers continuing education opportunities including online learning and national conventions, and more information can be found at www.aahperd.org/aahe.

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