The team of dedicated Nursing Professional Development generalists and specialists (NPDs) are committed to providing Nursing staff with the orientation, training, continuing education, and professional development needed to provide excellent patient care and to support the attainment of their professional goals. The NPDs work with Nursing staff to promote life-long learning through a variety of education and training modalities and are part of the Institute for Nursing Excellence.

The Institute for Nursing Excellence, Nursing Professional Development Arm, supports the Medical Center’s Mission, Vision, and Values by guiding nurses through the continuous process of learning that is instrumental to improved professional practice and exemplary patient and family care outcomes.  

The roles and responsibilities of the generalists and specialists (NPDs) are based on the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) Scope and Standards. Together, the team functions as educators, facilitators, change agents, consultants, researchers, and leaders in the UCSF Department of Nursing.  This NPDs are actively involved in the creation and facilitation of many education and training  initiatives, including Nursing orientation, continuing education, new nurse residency programs, internal career development training programs, primary and secondary clinical research, and ongoing partnerships with local schools of nursing. The team provides education and training at both the unit and department-wide levels and collaborates with various disciplines to provide continual professional development and educational offerings and programs.