For Nurses Month 2023, we are celebrating the profound impact of individual nurses and the entire nursing profession. Each week, Advisory Board's Carol Boston-Fleischhauer will highlight the importance of one of the four themes of Nurses Month and provide resources to help healthcare leaders honor the nurses at their organizations.

The job outlook for RNs has never been brighter, with employment demands projected to annually grow 6% through 2031. Regardless of care setting, RNs will be filling a variety of roles in provider settings —from frontline clinical expert, to educator, to researcher, to leader. Exciting roles that leverage nursing expertise will also be increasingly available in non-provider employment settings. 

As executives, we are tasked with ensuring meaningful professional development for RNs seeking growth in their current roles, while expanding their skills to allow for future career advancement opportunities.

Without question, RNs report significant interest in professional development to increase their expertise and advance their careers. Organizational investment in professional development is a key part of a comprehensive workforce stabilization strategy. 

In addition, the documented impact of professional development for RNs can be seen through improved clinical outcomes — a critical benchmark for organizations trying to achieve their strategic goals.

As Nurses Month continues, evaluate the professional development strategies that you offer your nursing professionals. Take steps to ensure that your offerings are responsive to the needs of your organization and the needs of RNs.   

We've put together resources to help healthcare leaders drive professional development for the nurses in their organization.

• First Year Nurse Retention Toolkit
• Win Millennials' Loyalty
• How one hospital started an oncology nurse residency program
• The Nurse Preceptor Toolkit
• Redesigning preceptor support at UW Health
• 3 ways Inova revamped its preceptor program—and boosted new nurses' performance
• Put an End to Nurse Manager Overload
• How to Create a Supportive Work Environment for Float Nurses