Prioritizing Career Growth

Cleveland Clinic’s Clinical Ladder program has been redesigned and expanded this year. Now called the Professional Ladder program, this on-the-job career enhancement program has been extended to nearly all caregivers in the nursing institute.

“The program initially was developed to recognize RNs who wanted to advance in clinical expertise at the bedside,” says Lisa Bryant, DNP, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, Senior Director, Nursing Education/Professional Development, Stanley Shalom Zielony Institute for Nursing Excellence. “Our updated program helps participants improve and enhance their professionalism, regardless of job code.”

Dr. Bryant and her team restructured the ladder program to include health unit coordinators, PCNAs, paramedics, social workers, case management and informatics professionals and others. Participants are provided opportunities to attend conferences, get advanced certificates and take advantage of tuition reimbursement.

The redesign

In the former program, caregivers would submit a portfolio of accomplishments for the year to their managers. It would be evaluated and used to determine if caregivers could progress to the next level on the ladder. The new program looks forward instead.

“Now, participants partner with their managers to put together a plan to achieve goals,” says Dr. Bryant. “Together, they determine what the participant can do throughout the year to advance competencies and enhance professionalism. The following year their progress is reviewed.”

Program participants can apply for advancement to the next level each year as they meet certain criteria. The criteria are determined from the four domains laid out in the professional practice model: healing environment, quality and patient safety, research and evidence-based practice and professional development. Overall there are five levels that reflect advancement from novice to expert.

It used to be that caregivers would receive a monetary reward when achieving a level on the ladder. Recognition of those who have advanced through levels of the ladder is now aligned with other recognition and awards programs such as Cleveland Clinic’s Nursing Awards celebration in the fall.

“Continuous advancement in education and expertise is integral to the Cleveland Clinic culture,” says Dr. Bryant. “By extending the ladder program to all caregivers in nursing, our entire institute will be stronger and better for it.”

One nurses advancement

Bonnie Deran, RN, a caregiver in the cardiothoracic ICU on Cleveland Clinic’s main campus has worked at Cleveland Clinic for nearly 30 years and has been active with the ladder program, both as a committee member and a participant for the past 10 years. She co-chairs the Professional Development Council, which reviewed participants’ portfolios and compared them against established criteria for the next step on the ladder. She, herself, achieved four levels on the previous ladder and is on level 2 of the current one.

“The Professional Ladder has helped me find my weaknesses and improve and refine my skills,” Deran says. “I encourage all new nurses to participate.”