Nicole D’Avella MSN, RN, NPD-BC
Penn Medicine, PMMG Regional Practices
Broomall,Pa
1
Language
1
Certification
13
years of professional experience
Nursing Professional Development Specialist with strong track record of enhancing team capabilities and driving impactful results. Skilled in curriculum design, training facilitation, performance evaluation and career advancement. Known for adaptability to evolving needs and fostering collaboration across diverse teams. Highly reliable with focus on achieving organizational goals. Advocate for clinical staff career growth and building workforce pipelines.
Work History
Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Nurse Residency and Extern Coordinator
4 Years 9 Months- Developed and evaluated competencies for ambulatory clinical staff across 120+ practices to ensure high-quality patient care
- Led new-employee orientations in remote and in-person settings, applying diverse learning theories to enhance onboarding experience
- Designed and facilitated new curricula and workflows based on needs assessments to meet learning objectives and improve staff readiness
- Works closely with stakeholders to set strategic goals that align with institution's mission and values
- Evaluates program outcomes, facilitates necessary changes to meet target audience's satisfaction and learning needs
- Provides professional development guidance to all clinical staff
- Mentors staff with professional development goals
- Designs new and innovative workforce pipelines to increase retention and internal employee satisfaction
- Coordinates competency tracking, training schedules, and documentation to support regulatory readiness and staff proficiency.
- Leads onboarding and professional development programs for clinical and administrative staff across primary care and specialty practices.
Clinical Care Manager RN
4 Years 5 Months- Facilitated patient transitions from inpatient to home environment, ensuring smooth adaptation and continuity of care
- Provided education on discharge instructions, post-op precautions, follow-up care, and disease management to enhance patient understanding and compliance
- Assessed client needs, updated service plans, and prioritized appropriate level of support.
- Communicated with families, physicians, and agencies to resolve care coordination gaps.
- Managed referrals, authorizations, and transitions between home, hospital, and post-acute settings.
- Evaluated ongoing client status and adjusted interventions to support continuity of care.
- Trained staff on documentation standards, workflow consistency, and client-centered service practices.
- Streamlined care management processes to improve responsiveness and reduce service delays.
- Coordinated comprehensive care plans across interdisciplinary teams and community providers.
Clinical Level II RN
2 Years- Managed four-patient assignments for post-operative solid oncology and cardio/thoracic patients, ensuring comprehensive care and recovery support
- Collaborated with inter-disciplinary teams to meet patients' unique needs
- Advocated with patients safety and patient
- Assessed patient conditions and prioritized nursing interventions using clinical judgment.
- Administered medications and treatments while monitoring responses and adverse effects.
- Documented assessments, care plans, and progress notes in electronic medical records.
- Educated patients and families on treatment plans, medications, and discharge instructions.
Thoracic Surgery/Solid Oncology Nurse Co-op II/Nurse Tech
1 Year 8 Months- Assessed patients and documented vital signs, performed EKGs and POC testing, and assisted with ADLs to support overall patient care
- Improved patient outcomes by implementing evidence-based oncology nursing practices.
- Participated in continuous learning opportunities to stay current on advancements in oncology treatments and nursing techniques.
- Established rapport with diverse patient populations by demonstrating empathy and understanding during difficult periods of illness or treatment.
- Enhanced quality of care through close collaboration with interdisciplinary medical teams.
- Provided emotional support for patients and families coping with the challenges of a cancer diagnosis.
- Promoted patient safety by adhering to strict infection control protocols throughout all aspects of cancer treatment administration.
Education
Masters - Nursing Education
Bachelor of Science - Nursing
Skills
Clinical competency development and assessment
Curriculum development
Professional development and workforce planning
Clinical pathway and policy development
Learning management system administrator
Facilitation techniques
Clinical simulation design and development
Best practices implementation
Project oversight
Project coordination
Performance optimization
Accomplishments
- Penn Medicine Quality and Patient Safety Award – RN Clinic Pilot- Honorable Mention
- Penn Medicine Quality and Patient Safety Award – A Summer Student Program—First Place
- Penn Medicine Quality and Patient Safety Award - Pend and Send Initiative
- Penn Medicine CAREs Grant Recipient
- Graduate Student Assistantship
CONFERENCES AND PUBLICATIONS
- Vizient Conference – Podium Presentation, Pulse of Progress
- AAACN Conference – Poster Presentation, Rethinking Telephone Triage Education
Certification
- Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPD-BC), ANCC
- BLS Instructor, AHA
National Presentations
D'Avella, N., Coffey, J., & Haughton, V., (2026, April). Rethinking telephone triage education:AI as a catalyst for clinical competency acquisition [Poster]. American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing, Orlando, FL, United States.
D'Avella, N., Wolf, C., Collins, M., Ecckles, S., Gallagher, M., Healy, A., Iannaurato, B., Keller-Oglesby, M., Murphy, R., & Ryan, A. (2026, March). The pulse of progress: Curriculum that engages nurses [Podium]. Vizient Nursing Programs, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
Languages
English
Licenses
Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing RN672816
New Jersey State Board of Nursing 26NR20698800
Timeline
Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Nurse Residency and Extern Coordinator
Penn Medicine, PMMG Regional Practices
01.2022 - CurrentRead More
Clinical Care Manager RN
Penn Medicine, Penn Partners in Care
08.2017 - 01.2022Read More
Clinical Level II RN
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
08.2015 - 08.2017Read More
Thoracic Surgery/Solid Oncology Nurse Co-op II/Nurse Tech
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
09.2013 - 05.2015Read More
Drexel University
Bachelor of Science from Nursing
Read More
West Chester University
Masters from Nursing Education
Read More