JobsAdvocate Health

Nursing Professional Development Specialist (RN)

Advocate Health · Barrington, IL

Posted Sep 10, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through a time you identified a gap in nursing practice on a unit and turned it into an actual education program. How did you know the gap was real and not just a hunch?

whether the candidate uses a genuine needs assessment process rather than jumping straight to a training solution

Tell me about a time you had to teach the same skill to a brand new grad and a nurse with twenty years of experience in the same session. How did you handle that difference?

ability to tailor teaching strategies to varied learner readiness and experience levels

Tell me about a time a new practice change or policy needed to roll out fast across a unit. How did you get nurses to actually adopt it rather than just sit through a training?

change management skill and ability to drive real behavior change, not just information transfer

Tell me about a time you mentored a newer nurse or a fellow educator through a rough transition, maybe a new role or a hard clinical situation. What did you actually do?

mentoring capability and support for professional transitions, a named responsibility in the role

Tell me about a time you partnered with another department, like quality improvement or a physician group, on an educational initiative. What made that partnership work or not work?

cross-disciplinary collaboration and systems thinking beyond the nursing silo

Technical

How do you decide whether a performance problem on a unit is actually a knowledge gap that education can fix, or something else entirely, like staffing or process?

clinical judgment about the limits of education as a solution versus systemic issues

What adult learning theories do you actually lean on when you're building a program, and can you give me an example of how one shaped a specific decision you made?

whether adult learning theory is applied practice, not textbook recall

Describe a time you had to design or deliver a virtual or blended learning session. What did you do differently than you would have in person?

proficiency with technology and non-traditional learning environments

How do you actually measure whether an education program improved patient outcomes, not just whether people liked the session?

rigor in outcome evaluation versus relying on satisfaction surveys alone

Situational

Say you're asked to build an orientation program for new OB nurses joining the unit. Walk me through how you'd design it from the first needs assessment to evaluating whether it actually worked.

understanding of the full educational design process, not just content creation

If leadership asked you to justify the cost of a new education program with limited proof it would pay off, how would you make that case?

comfort analyzing cost and return on investment for education initiatives

How would you plan an education program for a unit with a genuinely diverse staff, different cultural backgrounds, different generations, different comfort with technology?

ability to design culturally relevant, multigenerational programming rather than one-size-fits-all training

You're six months into an RN-BC certification requirement and juggling a full program load. How do you prioritize your own professional development against the demands of the job?

self-management and genuine commitment to the certification requirement built into the role

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 34003 Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital - Clinical Nurse Specialists Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Primarily day shift Pay Range: $44.15 - $66.25 Nursing Professional Development Specialist (RN) Obstetrics Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington Full Time Job Summary: Responsible for developing, implementing and leading evidence-based, quality educational programs and activities which promote individual development and competency among nursing department personnel. Develops, coordinates and implements activities for orientation/onboarding, nursing application (practice, policy, products) and continuing education/professional development related to system, site and/or specialty. Provides clinical and educational expertise that directly or indirectly influences nurses and healthcare personnel, systems, and community. Designs, implements, and evaluates educational programs that reflect organizational vision and values with awareness of current healthcare trends. Uses the roles of advisor, change agent, collaborator, communicator, consultant, facilitator, leader, mentor, researcher to impact patient safety and quality outcomes through professional development initiatives. Promotes the generation and dissemination of new knowledge and use of evidence to guide clinical practice and improve patient care while advancing professional development. The role may be based at the system, at the site reporting to the system or at the site reporting to the respective site and may teach, develop or support NEPD programs at the site, region or system level. Major Responsibilities: • Through application of ANPD principles and acting in the roles of advisor, change agent, collaborator, communicator, consultant, facilitator, leader, mentor, researcher the team member applies advanced knowledge of nursing in the delivery of evidenced-based nursing and education interventions using the educational design process to bridge the knowledge, skills, and/or practice gaps identified through a needs assessment. • Collects data and information to validate an identified gap in professional practice and to determine the specific knowledge, skill, or practice deficit or opportunity needed. Investigates issues, trends, and supporting data to determine the needs of individuals, organizations, and communities (prioritizing macrosystem needs). • Analyzes cost and anticipated return on investment for learning activities, programs, and projects. Transforms processes at multiple levels through inspiration, initiation, adoption, and sustainment of and adaptation to change using project management and improvement processes. • Develops context-specific outcomes based on organizational stakeholders’ and learners’ values, goals, current evidence, and regulations. Establishes a plan that prescribes strategies, alternatives, and resources to achieve expected outcomes. Incorporates theories pertaining to learning and behavioral change while designing educational materials and programs. • Promotes the generation and dissemination of new knowledge and use of evidence to guide clinical practice, improves patient care and foster life long learning. Role models practices for creating and sustaining positive learning and practice environments. • Assesses learner characteristics, including learning styles and learning needs for program development. Creates an effective learning environment, demonstrates proficiency in use of technology. Evaluates the outcomes of staff education, functions in the roles of both teacher and facilitator. Implements a variety of teaching strategies tailored to the learner’s characteristics, learning needs, cultural perspectives, and outcome objectives. Plans programs that are culturally relevant and that incorporate concepts of multicultural and multigenerational education. • Advises in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of materials, learning environments (i.e. virtual), and teaching strategies appropriate to the situation and learner’s developmental level, learning needs, readiness, ability to learn, and culture. • Exhibits system thinking throughout the planning process. Develops partnerships to enhance health care through interprofessional initiatives (i.e. quality improvement, organizational excellence initiatives) and coordinates integrated educational services. • Supports the transition of nurses and other healthcare team members across learning and practice environments, roles, and professional stages. Mentors, guides, and supports NEPD generalist as applicable. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • Registered Nurse license issued by the state in which the team member practices, and • Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) certification issued by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), or • Nursing Professional Development (RN-BC) certification issued by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) needs to be obtained within 6 months. Education Required: • Master's Degree in Nursing, or • Bachelor's Degree in Nursing, and Master's Degree in Education or related field. Experience Required: • Typically requires 3 years of experience in a clinical nursing role that includes experiences in adult teaching or training, and/or developing educational programs Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Must be knowledgeable in principles of adult learning theory and capable of creative planning, coordinating, and overseeing educational and orientation programs. • Proficient at incorporating adult learning principles, online and in person teaching methods to maximize learning and the application of that learning. • Excellent written and oral communications including strong presentation/speaking skills. • Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, planning and problem solving skills. • Critical thinking and analytical skills. • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Generally exposed to a normal office environment. • Must have functional speech, hearing, and senses to allow effective communication. • Position requires travel, may be exposed to road and weather hazards. • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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