Become a Certified Director of Staff Development — 100% Online
Your trusted, fully online path to Director of Staff Development certification — available to nurses in all 50 states, written by a practicing DSD and completed at your own pace. Built for LVNs, LPNs and RNs.
One-time payment
- 24 CE Contact Hours
- 90-Day Course Access
- Certificate with QR Code
- Self-Paced Learning
One course. Every state.
Every skilled nursing facility needs a nurse to lead its orientation and in-service education — and the core skills are the same across the country. This course is open to nurses in all 50 states: complete it at your own pace and earn your Director of Staff Development certificate, ready to lead staff development wherever you practice. California calls the role Director of Staff Development; elsewhere it’s the Staff Development Coordinator, In-Service Coordinator, or Nurse Educator — one course prepares you for it under any name.
See how it works in your stateWhy Choose DSD Certify?
Everything you need to certify with confidence — written by a practicing DSD and trusted by the nurses who complete it.
Exceptional Value
Everything you need to certify — 24 CE contact hours, expert-authored content and a verifiable certificate — all included in one simple $79 payment. No subscriptions, no hidden fees.
100% Online
Complete the entire course from anywhere with internet access. No classroom attendance required. Learn on your schedule.
Self-Paced Learning
Take your time or finish quickly – you have 90 days to complete the course. Perfect for busy nursing professionals.
24 CE Hours
Earn 24 Continuing Education contact hours upon completion. Meets California Code of Regulations requirements.
Instant Certificate
Receive your professional certificate immediately upon passing. Download, print, or share with QR code verification.
Verified Credentials
Each certificate includes a unique ID and QR code that employers can scan to instantly verify your certification.
Comprehensive Curriculum
24 hours of expert-designed content covering everything you need
Introduction to Staff Development
Overview of the Director of Staff Development role and responsibilities in skilled nursing facilities.
Adult Learning Principles
Understanding how adults learn, learning styles, and creating effective educational environments.
Curriculum Development
Step-by-step guide to developing comprehensive training curricula for nursing staff.
Lesson Planning Fundamentals
Creating effective lesson plans, setting objectives, and organizing content.
Teaching Methods & Techniques
Various instructional methods including lectures, demonstrations, simulations, and hands-on training.
Assessment & Evaluation
Developing assessments, measuring competency, and evaluating learning outcomes.
Documentation & Compliance
Record-keeping requirements, regulatory compliance, and audit preparation.
Communication Skills
Effective communication with diverse learners, handling difficult situations, and providing feedback.
Technology in Education
Using technology for training, online learning platforms, and digital resources.
Final Examination
Comprehensive examination covering all course materials.
Who Can Take This Course?
This DSD certification course is designed for licensed nursing professionals who meet the California requirements.
Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN)
With current California license
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN)
Licensed in any US state
Registered Nurses (RN)
With current license in good standing
What You'll Learn
- Adult learning principles and teaching strategies
- Curriculum development and lesson planning
- Assessment and evaluation techniques
- Documentation and compliance requirements
- Effective communication with diverse learners
- Using technology in staff education
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Everything included, one-time payment. No subscriptions, no hidden fees.
Complete DSD Course
Everything you need to get certified
One-time payment
- 24 Contact Hours of CE Credit
- 90 Days of Course Access
- All 10 Course Modules
- Module Quizzes & Final Exam
- Professional PDF Certificate
- QR Code Verification
- Email Support
- 3 Final Exam Attempts Included
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Infection Preventionist Certification
A separate certification for the IP role — not part of the DSD course
or start for $99 · payment plans available
- Nurse certification for the IP role (42 CFR § 483.80)
- 100% online & self-paced
- CE contact hours toward license renewal
- Surveillance, precautions & outbreak management
- Antibiotic stewardship & environmental IPC
- Lessons, quizzes & a comprehensive final exam
- Certificate of completion + lifetime records
A Draco Learning certification
Your Path to DSD Certification
This course delivers your 24 contact hours of staff-development education and ends in a verifiable certificate — your education step toward becoming a Director of Staff Development. We’ll also help you map the rest of the journey: your nursing license, the experience under Title 22 § 71829, and the CDPH Form 279 application. See the full path →
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions? We've got answers.
What Our Students Say
Every single one of our reviews is a 5-star review — real feedback from nurses who have completed the certification.
"The lesson plans are super helpful, they saved me so much time, all I had to do was customize them and they were ready to go."
"Very good information and the lesson plans were very helpful."
"This was very helpful and informative and I was able to complete it in the evening after work, which was great."
"Very helpful! Great course!"
"The content was good with multiple repeats of information."
"The possible fact that altering training to different age groups and to people that don't think they need to learn more because 'they know it all'"
Two Reference Manuals from Your Instructor
California’s rules for staff development and infection prevention, gathered and explained in plain English with the citation attached to every requirement. Get the eBook and save 10% buying direct from DSD Certify — or order it in print on Amazon.
The DSD Regulatory Reference Manual
Every regulation that touches staff development in California skilled nursing facilities and residential care facilities for the elderly — gathered, verified, and explained in plain English, with the exact citation attached to every requirement. Written for Directors of Staff Development, administrators, and compliance leads.
- DSD qualifications, minimum hours and curriculum
- CNA and nurse training and in-service requirements
- Skilled nursing and residential care operating standards
- Survey and F-tag reference (CMS Appendix PP)
- Working tools: calendar, checklists and crosswalk
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An educational reference, not legal advice — always check the current text of a regulation before you rely on a citation.
Infection Prevention & Control in Long-Term Care
The science of infection prevention and the California rules that govern it, side by side — microbiology and surveillance alongside the federal, state and Cal/OSHA requirements, with every clinical recommendation and regulatory requirement tied to its official source. Written for Infection Preventionists, directors of nursing, and the staff developers and administrators behind them.
- The Infection Preventionist role, qualifications and the full-time requirement
- The written prevention program and annual risk assessment
- Surveillance, national reporting and antibiotic stewardship
- Hand hygiene, precautions, protective equipment and the pathogens
- Outbreaks, reporting and the F880 survey (CMS Appendix PP)
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An educational and clinical reference, not legal or medical advice — always check current regulation and clinical guidance before you rely on a citation.
The Regulations, Explained
Clear, plain-language answers to the questions nurses actually ask — sourced to the regulations and free to read, no account needed.
Not ready to enroll? Start with the free checklist.
Get the Annual In-Service Compliance Checklist — every required and recommended staff in-service topic on one printable page — free, plus the occasional DSD tip. No account needed.
Professor Damien Draconum · Licensed Nurse (California) · College Professor of Health Sciences · CDPH- & BVNPT-Approved Instructor · Founder & CEO, Draco Learning
Your course, certification, and reference manuals are written by Professor Damien Draconum — a licensed California nurse and health-sciences college professor and a CDPH- and BVNPT-approved instructor and continuing-education provider, with more than 30 years in healthcare and healthcare education. He has served as a Director of Staff Development in skilled nursing, is the founder and CEO of Draco Learning, Draco Staff Development, and the Elder Dignity Project, and is the published author of more than a dozen healthcare textbooks. More about your instructor →
The complete in-service lesson library
186 ready-to-teach, fully customizable in-service lessons for skilled nursing & assisted living — every CMS-required topic, each with a lesson plan, handout, quiz, speaker notes & slides. Save days of prep for a one-time $99. Need the forms too? Get our editable CNA competency & program kits.
Draco Staff Development: compliance, training & survey readiness in one platform
It’s the software that runs the daily staff-development job for a skilled-nursing or assisted-living facility. You didn’t become a nurse to live in spreadsheets — yet passing survey means proving every employee is current on health screening, licensure, CPR, OIG, in-services and evaluations, a hundred deadlines usually tracked by hand. Draco Staff Development keeps them all scored and current in one login, verifies licenses and screens OIG for you automatically, and flags what’s expiring before a surveyor finds it — so your facility is survey-ready as a byproduct of normal work, not a two-week scramble.
Ready to Advance Your Nursing Career?
Earn your DSD certification — sourced to the regulations, self-paced, verifiable
Start Your Certification TodayExplore Our Programs
Advance your long-term-care career with our growing family of professional programs — the DSD certification here on DSD Certify, plus more through our platform Draco Learning.
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