Clinicians at New England Baptist Hospital have a long tradition of contributing to the provision of excellent care and comfort to patients and their families. The Professional Advancement Program provides an opportunity to recognize these contributions in five elements of practice: clinical knowledge and competency, clinician-patient relationship, teamwork and collaboration, organizational commitment and professional responsibilities and involvement in professional activities. Each clinician is responsible for establishing their career goals and the timeframes for progressing through the defined levels of the Professional Advancement program in collaboration with their manager. Once achieve, level specific criteria must be maintained to remain in the Professional Advancement Program. For more information, contact the office of Professional Development at 617-754-6096.
Q: How was the Professional Advancement Program developed?
A: The Professional Advancement Program was developed by representatives from Patient Care Services. Specific disciplines involved in the development of this program were: nursing, physical therapy, radiology, and laboratory. Guided by the work of Dr. Patricia Benner, the program recognizes the novice to expert clinician with specific criteria for four levels of practice.
Q: Who is eligible for the Professional Advancement Program?
A: Licensed, clinical professional staff. Managers are not eligible.
Q: Is participation in the Professional Advancement Program mandatory?
A: Levels I and II are required, but advancement to Levels III and IV, although strongly encouraged, are voluntary.
Q: What is the process for applying for the Professional Advancement Program?
A: Application packets for the Professional Advancement Program are available from the Professional Development Department. The packets contain the information necessary to apply to the program.
Q: Once I achieve a level with the Professional Advancement Program, are there criteria I must meet to remain at this level?
A: A clinical exemplar must be submitted on an annual basis for you to remain at the achieved Professional Advancement level.
Q: Are there resources available to me for assistance with my application?
A: Yes, members of the Professional Advancement Program Steering Committee are available to work with you throughout the application process. A list of members is available in the Professional Advancement Program application packet.
Q: How often are applications accepted?
A: Applications are accepted at any time, applications are reviewed in April and September.
More information on the Professional Advancement Program (PDF)