Ambulatory Nursing Professional Development Specialist (RN) - Nursing Administration - Days

Virginia Commonwealth University Health; United States; On-site; USD 78,000 - 134,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Commonwealth University Health in Richmond seeks an Ambulatory Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPDS) to guide education and professional growth across ambulatory settings. You will lead change initiatives, apply adult learning principles, and translate evidence into practice to improve patient outcomes.

You will partner with interprofessional teams, manage projects, and build academic partnerships with nursing schools to support transition to practice and preceptorship.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in nursing or related field is required; if not in nursing, a Baccalaureate in Nursing is required.
• Minimum of five years of clinical nursing experience with three years in staff education and professional development.
• Experience with ambulatory education and practice change is preferred.
• Familiarity with EBP, policy development and quality improvement is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Partner with interprofessional colleagues to develop and disseminate education on clinical practice changes and regulatory requirements.
• Assess organizational readiness for change and implement sustainable programs.
• Apply structured change management methods (e.g., ADKAR/Kotter) to new workflows and care models.
• Lead program development for transition to practice, preceptorship, mentoring, and clinical advancement.
• Use project management to scope, plan, execute, and sustain high-impact initiatives with clear timelines.
• Consult with stakeholders to identify gaps and drive practice improvement and quality indicators.

Skills

Program development

Change management

Nursing education

Project management

Evidence-based practice

Education

Master’s degree in nursing or related field

Bachelor’s degree in Nursing

Tools

Epic Optimization

Job description

The Ambulatory Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPDS) influences ambulatory professional role competence and professional growth of learners in a variety of settings. The NPDS leads programmatic strategies that strengthen the ambulatory clinical workforce through academic-practice partnerships, evidence-based practice (EBP) and research capacity building, process and performance improvement, policy development, and measurable quality outcomes. The role integrates adult learning principles, change management, and project management to translate science into practice and to sustain excellence in patient outcomes, staff engagement, and organizational performance. This role fosters a culture of clinical excellence and promotes the guidance, principles, and best practices outlined by the American Academy of Ambulatory Care (AAACN) and supports continued recognition as a Magnet® organization by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This position provides expert consultation, direction, leadership and accountability for professional development and empowerment of staff as well as management of resources to promote desired outcomes with attention to quality, efficiency and cost.

Essential Job Statements

• Functioning as partner, consultant and collaborator for interprofessional colleagues in the development and dissemination of education on clinical practice changes, regulatory requirements, organizational priorities, safety events, policy and procedure for ambulatory enterprise priorities.
• Assesses organizational readiness for change and acts as adaptive expert to implement effective programs for sustainable change.
• Apply structured change management (e.g., ADKAR/ Kotter) to implement new clinical workflows, technologies (Epic Optimization), and care models (team-based care, nurse-led protocols).
• Supports professional development and creation of clinical workforce pipelines, through the development and support of programs such as transition to practice, preceptor, mentoring, and clinical advancement opportunities.
• Use project management methodologies to scope, plan, execute, and sustain high-impact initiatives; maintain project charters and timelines.
• Consults with key stakeholders to identify practice gaps and collaborates on practice improvement, organizational priorities to improve key quality indicators for organization.
• Develop and steward strategic academic partnerships with schools of Nursing and allied programs to support transition to practice, enhance student placements, and foster scholarly collaborations.
• Supports a culture of engagement through enhancing shared governance, EBP and nursing research readiness to drive quality care and improve patient outcomes.
• Participates in departmental and organizational strategic planning, ad hoc projects and educational programs as requested by interprofessional colleagues to advance VCUHS goal achievement.
• Participates in policy development to ensure policies integrate current evidence-based practice and regulatory standards; align ambulatory practice with enterprise standards where applicable.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Patient Population

N/A

Employment Qualifications

Employment Qualifications Required Education: Master’s degree in nursing or related field. If Master’s Degree is not in nursing, then it is required to have a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing. Preferred Education: Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited program

Licensing/Certification

Licensure/Certification Required: Current RN licensure in Virginia or eligible or compact state, AHA BLS HCP Certification or equivalent

Licensure/Certification Preferred: Certification in Nursing Professional Development or clinical specialty area, AHA Basic Life Support Instructor certification or equivalent

Minimum Qualifications Years and Type of Required Experience

Minimum of five (5) years of clinical nursing experience; including a minimum three (3) years of current experience in staff education and professional development (orientation, preceptorship, in-services education, etc.)

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

N/A

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred

Preferred Experience in Academic health care experience Education/training, Preferred progressive experience in staff education and professional development (orientation, preceptorship, in-service education, etc.)

Working Conditions

Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur. General office environment. May be exposed to adverse weather conditions; cold, hot, dust, wind, etc. Required to car travel to off-site locations, occasionally in adverse weather conditions. Long-distance or air travel as needed- not to exceed 10% travel. May be exposed to high noise levels and bright lights. May be exposed to limited hazardous substances or body fluids. * May be exposed to human blood and other potentially infectious materials. * May have periods of constant interruptions. Prolonged periods of working alone. * Individuals in this position are required to exercise universal precautions, use personal protective equipment and devices, and learn the policies concerning infection control.

Physical Requirements

Physical Requirements Physical Demands: Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs.), Push/ Pull (0-50 lbs.), Stoop, Kneel, Squat, Climbing, Balance, Bending Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards Physical Requirements: Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination), Hear alarms/telephone/tape recorder, Reach above shoulder, Repetitive arm/hand movements, Finger Dexterity, Color Vision, Acuity – far, Acuity – near Hazards: Depth perception, Use of Latex Gloves, Exposure to toxic/caustic/chemicals/detergents, Exposure to moving mechanical parts, Exposure to dust/fumes, Exposure to potential electrical shock, Exposure to x ray/electromagnetic energy, Exposure to high pitched noises, Gaseous risk exposure Mental/Sensory –Emotional Mental/Sensory: Strong Recall, Reasoning, Problem Solving, Hearing, Speak Clearly, Write Legibly, Reading, Logical Thinking Emotional: Fast pace environment, Steady Pace, Able to Handle Multiple Priorities, Frequent and Intense Customer Interactions, Noisy Environment, Able to Adapt to Frequent Change

Compensation Range

Compensation Range $78,250.00 - $133,578.00 Actual salary offers will be based on several key factors to include relevant work experience, credentials, and qualifications.

Days EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran

Who We Are

Inventing better care, day by day by discovery Sound outrageous? It absolutely is. Sound impossible? That’s never stopped us before. Sound like hard work, intense research, collaboration with experts around the world, sheer brainpower meets unrelenting willpower? That’s. Exactly. Right. We’ll do whatever it takes to offer the best in care and empower the best in quality of life. And it’s an approach that works — whether it’s a patient who undergoes a new, life-saving procedure or a clinical researcher who finds promise in a new cancer treatment, exciting new medicine is happening at VCU Health.

• One college and four health sciences schools
• An academic medical center
• A Level I trauma center
• One of only two NCI-designated cancer centers in Virginia
• The region’s only full-service children’s hospital
• More than 800 physicians in 200 specialties
• With a community health center, dedicated research teams, facilities and valued partners in every field

Our medical teams are top notch. And we’re not too shy to boast of internationally known physicians, some recognized as the best in the country, top-ranked local specialists and all-around all-stars at every level. From our very first years to our most recent advancements, we are driven to learn more, dig deeper, teach passionately and never rest in order to be a true leader in discovering what’s possible in health and recovery. We are a comprehensive system of care and a pioneer of health.

Read VCU Health Year In Review for more about our accomplishments.