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Becoming a Staff-Development Leader in North Carolina

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. We help you build them — with professional, certificate-bearing online courses available to nurses and care staff in all 50 states. In California the role is called Director of Staff Development; elsewhere it’s a Staff Development Coordinator, In-Service Coordinator or Nurse Educator.

Looking for the in-service training requirements rather than the role? See our nursing-home in-service requirements by state.

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North Carolina

In North Carolina, the nurse who leads staff education and training is commonly known as a Staff Development Coordinator / In-Service Coordinator. It’s a valued, higher-responsibility role — and we can help you prepare for it and grow your long-term-care career.

North Carolina has no distinct staff-development-director credential; 'DSD' is a California title. NC rule 10A NCAC 13O .0301 approves Nurse Aide I training programs by incorporating the federal standards (42 CFR Part 483 Subpart D, incl. 483.151-.152) by reference, so the primary-instructor requirement is simply the federal one — a registered nurse with ≥2 years of nursing experience, ≥1 in long-term care — with no extra state overlay. The NA I Registry and program approvals sit with DHSR's Health Care Personnel Education and Credentialing Section, and nursing-home in-service follows the federal 12 hours/year. A nurse takes on the role by meeting the federal RN-instructor qualifications and being designated by a facility whose training program DHSR has approved; there is no separate personal certificate to earn.

Study from North Carolina today — nationwide training that travels with you

Through our sister platform Draco Learning, you can build practical skills and earn a professional certificate of completion from North Carolina — our online courses are open to nurses and care staff in all 50 states:

Restorative Nurse Assistant ECG/EKG Technician Browse all courses

Whatever North Carolina asks you to teach, it’s already written

The in-service topics a surveyor expects are set by federal law, so they are the same in North Carolina as everywhere else. Our in-service library covers all of them — 186 ready-to-teach lessons, each with a lesson plan, handout, quiz, speaker notes and slides — for $99.

See the lesson library Free compliance checklist North Carolina in-service rules
Available in all 50 states Certificate of completion 100% online & self-paced

How the role works in North Carolina — official details

Commonly called
Staff Development Coordinator / In-Service Coordinator (Nurse Aide I training program coordinator/instructor)
State credential
No distinct state credential — the facility designates the role.
Keeping skills current (in-service)
Follows federal 12 hrs/yr (42 CFR 483.95). NC nursing-home rule 10A NCAC 13D .2304 requires facilities certified for Medicare/Medicaid to comply with 42 CFR Part 483, and 10A NCAC 13O .0301(e) incorporates 42 CFR Part 483 Subpart D by reference; annual performance review is the federal requirement. (Confidence on the in-service specifics is medium because it rests on the federal incorporation rather than a stated NC hour count.)
Qualifying for the role
Federal rule applies — 10A NCAC 13O .0301(e) incorporates 42 CFR Part 483 Subpart D (including 483.152) by reference, so the primary instructor is the federal standard: an RN with at least 2 years of nursing experience, at least 1 year in long-term care. NC adds no separate state instructor overlay in this rule.
State approval & process
No separate individual state credential to apply for. DHSR (Health Care Personnel Education and Credentialing Section) approves the Nurse Aide I training program per 42 CFR 483.151-.152; the facility/program then designates a qualified RN who meets the incorporated federal instructor requirements.
Where to check the official rules
North Carolina DHHS, Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR) — Health Care Personnel Education and Credentialing Section (maintains the Nurse Aide I Registry and approves NA I training programs). Note: Nurse Aide II is separately regulated by the NC Board of Nursing.

General information to help you plan — not legal advice. Requirements can change, so confirm the specifics with your state’s licensing agency.
Sources: 10A NCAC 13O .0301 · 10A NCAC 13D .2304 · 42 CFR 483.95; 42 CFR 483.151-483.154.

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