Nursing Professional Development

Taking our Nurses to the Next Level

At Highland, we care about our nursing team's personal and professional growth, which is core to our values. We encourage every member of our nursing department to develop to their full potential.  Our commitment and support of continuing education and career advancement is key to that development.

What we offer Professional Nurses:

Highland offers career-long opportunities to advance your professional nursing practice.   The Advanced System for Professional Nurses (ASPN) offers a career advancement track for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, as well as a patient care technician career ladder.  With each level on the ASPN ladder, nursing staff members are mentored through the process of expanding their expertise, developing clinical and leadership skills and sharing their new found knowledge with their colleagues.

In partnership with the University of Rochester School of Nursing and Strong Memorial Hospital, Highland nurses have the professional development opportunity to participate in The Nursing Leadership Internship or The Clinical Research Internship. Both programs are offered on an annual basis and are nine months in length.

Nursing team members at Highland are encouraged to participate in specialized ongoing education and demonstrate their knowledge in a specific clinical specialty by obtaining a professional certification.  Highland supports nurses and technicians who seek professional certification by offering support throughout the obtainment process and additional compensation once the approved certification is earned. Highland, in alignment with Magnet, recognizes 120 different nursing and 8 technician certifications.

Highland awards multiple scholarships a year from the Marion C. Thompson Memorial Nursing Scholarship Fund and the Medical Executive Committee Scholarship Fund.  Awards are granted to individuals pursuing a career in nursing or continuing their nursing education.

Highland gives you access to many sources of free continuing nursing education (CNE) credits.  Many of the programs and offerings from the Nursing Professional Development department such as Preceptor, Charge Nurse, and Dysrhythmia classes are CNE bearing. If we do not offer a program, there are funds available to support select continuing education participation.