CPD AND CAREER PATHING. 2025

GAUTENG COLLEGE OF NURSING - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NURSING (PDN302)

MODULE INFORMATION

  • Module Title: Professional Development in Nursing (PDN302)

  • Content: Personnel Development, CPD (Continuing Professional Development), and Career Pathing

  • Programme: R171 Level 3 (2023)

  • Date: 10 July 2025

  • Facilitator: MC Pheto

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the learning unit, students must demonstrate detailed knowledge, understanding, and ability to:

  • Define CPD and apply it when developing others within the nursing profession.

  • Interpret the purpose and scope of CPD within the nursing profession.

  • Apply CPD principles within the nursing profession to develop others.

  • Apply career management knowledge in career pathing to develop others.

  • Apply general principles and career planning and development model in career pathing to develop others.

  • Identify and explain career moves and migration in career pathing to develop others.

INTRODUCTION

  • Definition of CPD: Continuing Professional Development is the practitioner
    on’s personal development responsibility that must comply with regulatory requirements.

  • CPD Activities: Developed by the South African Nursing Council (SANC) to serve and protect the public in nursing and midwifery services.

  • Goals of CPD:

    • Uphold and maintain professional conduct.

    • Uphold ethics and practice standards.

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)

  • Description of CPD: A purposeful statutory process emphasizing that practitioners registered with SANC engage in various learning activities/events/programmes. This is driven by a personal commitment and aims to:

    • Maintain and improve knowledge, skills, attitudes, and professional integrity.

    • Stay updated with new science, innovations, and healthcare development.

    • Practice safely, ethically, competently, and legally based on an evolving scope of practice.

    • Provide quality care to the South African community.

PURPOSE OF CPD

  • Maintain Professional Standards: Ensures the practice of nurses and midwives remains up to date and relevant to the community's changing health needs.

  • Provides Opportunities for lifelong learning conducive to safe, ethical, competent, and evidence-based practice.

  • Strengthens Accountability: Practitioners are held accountable to themselves and others, enhancing professional growth.

  • Protects the Public Interest: Aims to promote health and deliver quality nursing care.

SCOPE OF CPD

  • Five Themes of CPD:

    • Ethical and Legal Domains

    • Area of Practice

    • Leadership/Management

    • Teaching

    • Research

1. Legal Domain

  • Definition: Refers to the legislation and policies that govern and influence nursing (e.g., Nursing Act No. 33 of 2005).

2. Ethical Domain

  • Definition: Refers to the codes of practice that guide nursing practice (e.g., Scope of Practice R. 2127).

3. Area of Practice

  • Definition: Refers to the field of practice where registered practitioners operate (e.g., clinical nursing, occupational nursing) encompassing essential competencies related to that field.

4. Leadership

  • Definition: The purposeful influencing and enablement of followers by the leader within a context to achieve specific goals.

5. Management

  • Definition: A process of achieving organizational goals by working with or through people and other resources.

6. Teaching

  • Definition: A learner-centered activity where all healthcare categories have a responsibility to teach colleagues or healthcare users, facilitating learning and encouraging independent competence creation.

7. Research

  • Definition: An endeavor to discover or collate old facts (evidence) via scientific study, promoting the use of evidence-based approaches and participation in research activities.

PRINCIPLES OF CPD

  • Written Policy: Need for a documented policy in every healthcare service unit.

  • Program Coordination: The unit manager is responsible for coordinating attendance at CPD programmes.

  • Proactive Planning: Essential for risk mitigation and should be simultaneous in planning processes.

  • Fairness and Equity: Ensures impartial treatment of all practitioners.

  • Financing Regulations: Governed by healthcare policies ensuring fair labor practices.

  • Facilitation: Healthcare services and managers are tasked with facilitating professional development and skills enhancement in their units.

CAREER PATHING

  • Definition: A process through which healthcare practitioners set career objectives and determine the path to achieving these goals.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CAREER MANAGEMENT

  • Self Knowledge: Understanding one’s skills and aspirations.

  • Freedom of Choice: Empowering decisions in career development.

  • Dreams and Goals: Establishing clear career objectives.

  • Identification of Career Opportunities: Recognizing potential career paths and openings.

  • Action Plans: Creating structured approaches for goal attainment.

  • Evaluation of Achievement: Reflecting on success and the need for re-planning.

CAREER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MODEL

  • Steps to Follow:

    • Scanning the Environment: Analyzing job markets, healthcare trends, and opportunities within the nursing profession (e.g., new specialties, technological advancements).

    • Completing Self-Assessment: Realistic evaluation of personal skills, interests, values, and situations to align with potential career paths.

    • Creating Career Vision: Establishing clear, long-term career aspirations and specific, measurable goals within nursing.

    • Developing Strategic Career Plan: Outlining specific steps, required education or