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Nurse Professional Development Jobs in California

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Nurse Professional Development information

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$15

$37

$71

How much do nurse professional development jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for nurse professional development in California is $37.99, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $27.50 and $42.21 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a nurse professional development specialist?

A Nurse Professional Development (NPD) practitioner is a registered nurse who specializes in enhancing the professional growth and continuing education of nurses and other healthcare staff. They design, implement, and evaluate educational programs, promote evidence-based practice, and support competency development throughout a nurse's career. NPD practitioners also serve as mentors, leaders, and change agents within healthcare organizations, ensuring high-quality patient care by maintaining a well-educated nursing workforce.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a nurse professional development specialist?

To thrive as a Nurse Professional Development Specialist, you need a strong background in nursing practice, adult education principles, and usually a BSN or MSN along with relevant certifications such as NPD-BC. Experience with learning management systems (LMS), curriculum development, and continuing education accreditation tools is typically required. Excellent communication, leadership, and critical thinking skills help facilitate learning and support organizational goals. These competencies are essential for ensuring nurses are well-trained, up-to-date, and able to deliver safe, effective patient care.

How does a nurse professional development specialist collaborate with clinical staff to improve patient care?

NPD practitioners work closely with nurses, nurse leaders, and interdisciplinary teams to assess learning needs, design educational programs, and support evidence-based practice. They often facilitate workshops, mentor new staff, and coordinate orientation or competency assessments to ensure nurses are equipped with current clinical skills. Regular collaboration with frontline staff allows NPD practitioners to identify practice gaps and implement targeted training, ultimately enhancing both staff performance and patient outcomes.

What is the difference between Nurse Professional Development vs Nurse Educator?

AspectNurse Professional DevelopmentNurse Educator
CredentialsRN license, certifications in education or specialty areasRN license, advanced degrees (e.g., MSN, PhD), teaching credentials
Work EnvironmentHospitals, clinics, healthcare organizations, training departmentsAcademic settings, nursing schools, universities, healthcare training programs
Employer & Industry UsageHealthcare organizations focusing on staff training and competencyEducational institutions and academic healthcare programs
Primary FocusEnhancing staff skills, ongoing education, complianceTeaching students, curriculum development, research

While Nurse Professional Development focuses on improving the skills and knowledge of practicing nurses within healthcare settings, Nurse Educators are primarily involved in teaching nursing students and developing educational programs. Both roles require nursing credentials, but Nurse Educators typically hold advanced degrees and work in academic environments, whereas Nurse Professionals in development roles are embedded within healthcare organizations to support staff growth.

What does a nurse professional development specialist do?

A nurse professional development specialist designs and implements educational programs to enhance nurses' skills and knowledge. They assess training needs, develop curricula, and facilitate continuing education to ensure compliance with healthcare standards and improve patient care. This role often requires certification and strong communication skills within healthcare environments.

What is an example of professional development in nursing?

An example of professional development in nursing is completing continuing education courses or obtaining certifications such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) to enhance clinical skills. Nurses may also participate in workshops, attend conferences, or pursue advanced degrees to stay current with best practices and improve patient care.

What is considered professional development for nurses?

Professional development for nurses includes ongoing education such as attending workshops, earning certifications, participating in training programs, and pursuing advanced degrees to enhance clinical skills and knowledge. It also involves staying current with healthcare practices, regulations, and technology to improve patient care and meet licensure requirements.

What are popular job titles related to Nurse Professional Development jobs in California?

For Nurse Professional Development jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Nurse Professional Development jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Nurse Professional Development jobs in California are:

Infographic showing various Nurse Professional Development job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, and 5% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $79,023 per year, or $38 per hour.

Professional Development Practitioner

Pleasanton, CA โ€ข On-site

$65.93 - $89.63/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 17 days ago


Job description

If you're ready to be part of our legacy of hope and innovation, we encourage you to take the first step and explore our current job openings. Your best is waiting to be discovered.

Day - 10 Hour (United States of America)

This is a Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley job.
A Brief Overview
The Nurse Educator assists department leaders in the provision of safe and quality patient care and professional practice. S/he will be asked to function as an expert, practitioner, educator, leader and scientist. Supporting hospital initiatives to align with regulatory requirements, improve employee safety, emergency response, and efficiencies. Support the clinical competence of employees through leading program initiatives, developing and teaching education programs such as hospital onboarding, in-service, and continuing education programs. Utilize evidence-based practice while focusing on the knowledge and skills required for an employee to perform competently in their assigned area. Will consult with department leaders to support professional and performance development. Participate in setting standards based on evidence-based medicine, best practices, and regulatory requirements. Analyze quality measures, including patient and employee outcomes, for opportunities to improve and develop program curricula.
Locations
Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley
What you will do

  • Promotes quality patient care by serving as a resource to department leaders and hospital administration regarding evidence-based practices. Provide education to employees based on training needs.
  • Maintains competency in professional development.
  • Develops, implements, and evaluates cost-effective educational programs for employees, patients and families and community.
  • Identifies specific needs for, and means to, enhance employee development. Provides education plans for specific employees based on assessed needs.
  • Teaches in both formal and informal settings using appropriate methodology and strategies.
  • Mentors students, interns and employees.
  • Develops clinical competencies that align with job specific performance criteria, evidence-based practice and regulatory requirements.
  • Champions change within clinical practice.
  • Integrates clinical research, regulatory requirement and evidence-based practice in education and training programs to provide a scientific foundation for professional practice.
  • Builds and maintains relationships with staff, colleagues and the surrounding community.
  • Employee must perform all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the C-I-CARE Standards of the Hospital. C-I-CARE is the foundation of Stanford Health Care - Tri-Valley's patient-experience and represents a framework for patient-centered interactions.


Education Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from an accredited college or university. Required
  • Master's Degree in Nursing or related advanced degree. Preferred


Experience Qualifications

  • 3+ years to 5 years experience in clinical nursing setting. Required
  • 1+ year to 2 years in planning educational programs and/or teaching in the assigned clinical area. Required
  • Participation in professional organizations. Preferred
  • Additional AHA Certification will be required based on role. Required
  • Certification in specialty or Nurse Professional Development. Required


Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Effectively interacts with staff from diverse backgrounds.
  • Able to manage time and prioritize effectively.
  • Active membership in Professional Nursing organization.
  • Demonstrated leadership abilities; able to work under stressful conditions.
  • Ability to read, write and understand English language.
  • Proven ability to communicate with all staff across the hospital.
  • Strong interpersonal skills.
  • Strong customer service skills.
  • Organized and self-driven.
  • Strong understanding of safety, security and joint commission standards as it pertains to role.


Licenses and Certifications

  • Current American Heart Association Certification for Basic Life Support for Healthcare
    Providers required .


These principles apply to ALL employees:
SHC Commitment to Providing an Exceptional Patient & Family Experience
Stanford Health Care sets a high standard for delivering value and an exceptional experience for our patients and families. Candidates for employment and existing employees must adopt and execute C-I-CARE standards for all of patients, families and towards each other. C-I-CARE is the foundation of Stanford's patient-experience and represents a framework for patient-centered interactions. Simply put, we do what it takes to enable and empower patients and families to focus on health, healing and recovery.
You will do this by executing against our three experience pillars, from the patient and family's perspective:

  • Know Me: Anticipate my needs and status to deliver effective care
  • Show Me the Way: Guide and prompt my actions to arrive at better outcomes and better health
  • Coordinate for Me: Own the complexity of my care through coordination

Equal Opportunity Employer Stanford Health Care (SHC) strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination inall ofits policies and practices, including the area of employment. Accordingly, SHC does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity and/or expression, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability, or the perception of any of the above. People of all genders, members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants with criminal convictions will be considered after an individualized assessment of the conviction and the job requirements.

Base Pay Scale: Generally starting at $65.93 - $89.63 per hour

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. This pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage.