Career Pathway for Nurses in Nursing Homes

Enabling Professional Development and Progression in Nursing Homes

The Career Pathway for Nurses in Nursing Homes, provides a clear, flexible framework to support the development, progression and retention of nurses working in nursing homes across Northern Ireland. The pathway was developed in collaboration with Nursing Home colleagues, Health and Social Care colleagues, student nurses, education providers, the Department of Health and professional bodies.

It recognises the complexity, autonomy and professional expertise required to deliver high‑quality, person‑centred care in nursing homes and supports nurses at all stages of their career.

Purpose of the Pathway

The pathway aims to:

• Acknowledge and strengthen the professional contribution of care home nurses.
• Support structured career development and progression.
• Promote consistent standards of practice while allowing flexibility across organisations.
• Align nursing roles with education, leadership, research and governance expectations.
• Support workforce sustainability and succession planning in nursing homes.

Who is the Pathway for?

The pathway is relevant to:

• Nurses working in nursing homes.
• Nurses new to the nursing home sector or considering this career.
• Student nurses and newly registered nurses.
• Nursing home providers, managers and owners.
• Educators, regulators, commissioners and policy makers.
• Residents and their representatives.

A Flexible and Non‑Prescriptive Approach

The Career Pathway:

• Is not prescriptive and does not determine organisational structures.
• Can be adapted to local job titles and models of care.
• Supports progression across different nursing home settings and specialisms.
• Allows roles to be mapped to comparable levels of practice, ensuring consistency while retaining flexibility.

Core Roles within the Pathway

The pathway outlines five core nursing roles, each aligned to increasing levels of responsibility and influence:

• Staff Nurse.
• Sister / Charge Nurse.
• Deputy Nurse Manager.
• Nursing Home Manager.
• Regional Nurse Manager.

These roles reflect progression through Levels of Practice 5–9, supporting clear career development from clinical practice to senior leadership.

Four Pillars of Professional Practice

All roles within the pathway are underpinned by four pillars of nursing practice:

• Clinical Practice – delivering safe, effective, person‑centred care.
• Education and Learning – developing and maintaining professional competence.
• Leadership – leading self, others and services with accountability and compassion.
• Research and Development – using evidence and improvement to enhance care.

As nurses progress, the balance across the pillars evolves, with increased emphasis on leadership, education and research, while maintaining a strong clinical foundation.

Continuing Professional Development

The pathway promotes lifelong learning and supports access to:

• Induction and preceptorship.
• Mandatory and role‑specific training.
• Reflective supervision and appraisal.
• Leadership and management development.
• Quality improvement and service development.

It aligns with the NIPEC Learning and Development Framework, supporting consistent professional development across nursing careers.

Self‑Assessment and Development Tool

The Career Pathway is supported by a Self Assessment and Development Tool which helps nurses and managers to:

• Reflect on current practice and level of development.
• Identify strengths and development needs across the four pillars.
• Inform personal development planning and career progression.
• Support meaningful, person‑centred professional discussions.

The tool can be used by all nurses, regardless of role or experience.

An overview of the Career Pathway is available through a webinar hosted on the RCN Northern Ireland Independent Sector Network website, where Gary Cousins, Senior Professional Officer, outlines the purpose, structure and intended impact of the pathway.

Contact

Senior Professional Officer for this project: Gary Cousins