Professional Development and Advancement for Nurses

Nursing Professional Development Support

The Department of Nursing at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) is dedicated to cultivating a culture of lifelong learning, clinical excellence, and professional growth.

We support nurses at every stage of their career, whether new to practice, advancing in specialty, or preparing for leadership by providing innovative educational opportunities, structured development programs, and individualized support.

Academic Opportunities: Support To Advance Your Degree

We are proud of our partnerships with area colleges and universities that allows us to provide robust support for staff who wish to advance their academic degree by participating in a cohort program.

Our partnership with Simmons University, in place since 2009, facilitates academic preparation for nurses who wish to pursue nursing leadership. Qualified nurses may apply for one of two degree programs, a Master’s Degree in Nursing Leadership, or a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree, with a concentration in executive leadership. Accepted students participate in the program as a cohort while still working full time; they benefit from reduced tuition rates and mutual support of colleagues. The program has graduated almost 200 students to date.

Through a partnership with Emmanuel College, select nurses who have recently earned their associate’s degree in nursing may apply to join our team as part of a specialized program that leads to a bachelor's degree in nursing at Emmanuel College, with all expenses paid.

Cohort programs are open to new candidates during designated application periods, which may vary.

Scholarships

BIDMC is proud to award more than $150,000 in scholarships each year to staff pursuing academic degrees in nursing. The scholarships are supported by generous endowments to the medical center and are announced each May.

Continuing Education and Unit-Based Professional Development

BIDMC provides robust continuing education opportunities that support the ongoing learning needs of our nursing staff. These programs focus on clinical excellence, patient safety, and professional growth. Regularly recurring competency days, run by unit-based nurse educators and nurse specialists, help support staff confidence in practice and promote patient safety.

As an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Association Massachusetts, continuing education contact hours are awarded for most in-house programs.

Nursing Grand Rounds

In addition to ongoing continuing education, teams of clinical staff, led by nurse specialists, present at Nursing Grand Rounds each month, covering topics related to clinical care and professional development.

Networking Opportunities

Nurses at all levels are encouraged to attend professional meetings and to submit their work to share with colleagues in poster or podium sessions. Writing and editing support for abstract development is provided, and delegations of staff are supported to attend select networking conferences.

Specialty Certification

We are committed to empowering our nurses to achieve excellence and advance their professional growth. Specialty certification is more than a credential; it reflects your dedication, expertise, and commitment to delivering exceptional patient care. We offer a variety of voucher and reimbursement programs to support preparation costs as well as initial and renewal certification expenses.

Mentorship

The Department of Nursing offers a structured mentorship program to enable nurses of all levels to succeed in reaching individualized professional goals.

Simulation

Nurse educators at BIDMC help design and carry out simulation education through the state-of-the art Carl J. Shapiro Simulation and Skills Center at BIDMC.

Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice

Through our Nursing Research and Innovation Professional Governance Council, BIDMC Nursing adopted the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Model as a framework supporting nursing research, quality improvement, and nursing policy development.

Nurses are actively encouraged to use the EBP model and a spirit of scholarly inquiry to explore clinical questions. Support is provided by an endowed Nurse Scientist who is available to meet with clinical staff at every level of an EBP project. Many staff share their work at professional meetings and through publication. Select nurses work with multidisciplinary teams conducting clinical trials.