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Professional Development Specialist: Transition to Practice Coordinator

Baptist Health
life insurance, paid time off, tuition reimbursement
United States, Kentucky, Lexington
May 28, 2026
Summary The Transition-to-Practice (TTP) role is responsible for the development, coordination, and oversight of structured onboarding and professional transition programs for newly licensed nurses entering practice settings. This includes designing curriculum, orientation pathways, competency plans, learning activities, and programming that support clinical competence, professional role development, and successful transition into practice. Key responsibilities include facilitating educational experiences such as classroom instruction, simulation, clinical workshops, competency validation, debriefing, and reflective learning while integrating evidence-based practice, patient safety principles, clinical judgment development, and transition-to-practice standards, The role collaborates closely with nursing leadership, educators, preceptors, mentors, human resources, workforce development teams, and academic partners to strengthen onboarding processes. The position also supports preceptor and mentor development, monitors learner progression, provides coaching and remediation support, and promotes professional skills such as communication, prioritization, delegation, leadership, resilience, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Responsibilities extend to maintaining educational records, competency tracking systems, accreditation readiness, orientation resources, and alignment with organizational goals, Magnet principles, nursing strategic priorities, and professional standards. Additionally, the role evaluates program effectiveness through data analysis, reporting, retention and engagement metrics, competency completion tracking, and quality indicators while contributing to accreditation processes, quality improvement efforts, shared governance activities, workforce initiatives, and evidence-based practice completion projects. A central focus of the role is fostering psychological safety, engagement, professional growth, and a supportive learning environment that promotes successful transition into clinical practice and long-term workforce retention. Job Description: The Educational Training and Development Department provides clinical and non-clinical education, professional development, leadership development, and community education across the organization. Professional Development Specialist, Transition to Practice Coordinator Full-Time, Days Job Description: The Professional Development Specialist (PDS) functions to ensure that clinicians are prepared to be responsible for promoting patient safety and high-quality patient care through clinical leadership, education, consultation, modeling, and research. The PDS incorporates evidence-based practice, theory, and research into various patient care settings according to patient needs by collaborating with multi-professional multidisciplinary groups; facilitating the development of hospital and department policies, nursing procedures, regulatory standards and guidelines, and research. The role also includes functioning as a community resource on topics within scope of practice and providing nursing orientation, education, and ongoing competency verification. The PDS is a role model for caring that honors the patient's mind, body, and spirit. Requirements: Master's Degree in Nursing Current Ky RN license Three (3) years of acute care experience in the designated specialty within the last five (5) years ACLS, PALS, NRP, TNCC, ENPC certifications as required by department of assignment Certification as Professional Development Specialist (PDS) preferred Benefits: Health, Vision, Dental, and Pet Insurance Life Insurance Short Term and Long-term Disability and Life Insurance Identity Theft Protection Tuition Reimbursement up to $6,000 annually Company paid Maternity and Paternity Leave 5 days of Paid Time Off available upon hire Bereavement Leave (includes pets) PTO Sell Back Program Compassionate Leave Sharing Program (PTO Donation) Employee Support Fund, for employees in need of emergency financial assistance Retirement with Company Match Work Experience Education If you would like to be part of a growing family focused on supporting clinical excellence, teamwork and innovation, we urge you to apply now! Baptist Health is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.