title: The Vanderbilt Professional Nursing Practice Program, part 2: Integrating a professional advancement and performance evaluation system.
abstract: Developing a performance-based advancement system requires evaluation tools that capture essential behaviors and outcomes reflective of key nursing functions. To ensure relevance to clinical practice and enhance buy-in from nursing staff, the behaviors and outcomes were defined by a broad cross-section of nursing staff and administrators. The first article (September 2003) in this 3-part series described the foundation for and the philosophical background of the Vanderbilt Professional Nursing Practice Program (VPNPP), the career advancement program under way at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. This second article describes the development of the evaluation tools used in the VPNPP, the implementation and management of this new system, program evaluation, and improvements since the inception of the program. Additionally, the authors present the challenges and lessons we learned in development and implementation of a dynamic evaluation system that supports our career advancement program. The process of advancing within the program will be described in part 3.
authors.affiliation: The Learning Center, Vanderbilt Professional Nursing Practice Program, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, NAshville, TN 37232, USA. nancy.ohara@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Nancy F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duvanich
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foss
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D002322:Career Mobility; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D016294:Models, Nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D009731:Nursing Audit / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D013714:Tennessee; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration