Continuing Professional Development (CPD) ensures the level of professionalism and knowledge of registered and enrolled nurses is improved and enhanced on an on-going basis enabling the provision of quality care. Since 2004 Altura Learning has provided programs designed to increase and update the knowledge and skills of nurses and other care staff, and ultimately the lives of older people.
Do I need to complete CPD?
You are required to complete 60 hours of continuing professional development in three years and it must be related to your scope of practice and work context.
We have developed a CPD portfolio to assist you in recording your activities. A New Zealand specific portfolio can be downloaded here.
If you are selected for a recertification audit, you will be required to supply a statement of learning, so it’s important to consider those requirements when you are completing your portfolio.
All professional development courses that contribute to your CPD hours need to be endorsed by your employer, manager or nurse educator. This has been built into our portfolio for them to complete.
You are also expected to reflect on what you have learned and how the course or activity has influenced your practice.
Please click on the Continuing Competence requirements for further information.
How many CPD hours is each program worth?
Essentially, each hour you spend completing one of our courses is equal to 1 hour of CPD. Every course you purchase from Altura Learning can earn you up to 8 CPD hours depending on the amount of assessment you choose to complete.
You may complete a journal reading for professional development as long as it is completed within a formal framework such as journal club, or if you present your findings to your colleagues, or use it to inform an educational or quality improvement process. It's important to consider this when completing the extension exercise.
How can I prove I’ve completed CPD activities?
You must keep evidence that you have completed 60 hours of CPD every three years. You will receive a certificate which is autogenerated when you complete this course. If you choose to complete the extension exercise, you can keep the completed exercise as evidence and also record the activity in our CPD Portfolio.
How can I maximise the CPD I complete?
You will get the most out of your CPD experience when you:
- Identify the knowledge and skills needed for professional competence
- Are present and fully engaged at CPD activities
- Develop an individual training plan based on learning needs identified
- Apply what has been learnt to your professional practice
- Participate fully in discussions
- Talk to your peers and maximise networking opportunities
How can I apply my learning?
To ensure learning is applied to your professional practice, consider the following questions after every CPD activity:
- What did I learn?
- What will I stop doing?
- What will I continue doing?
- What will I start doing or start doing differently?
- How will I know when these changes have occurred?
- Have I identified further training needs?
In order to continually improve your practice as a enrolled or registered nurse, incorporate regular occasions for reflection and evaluation into your CPD plan. This will give you opportunities to consolidate learning, cement new behaviours, review practices and identify further training needs.
