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Becoming a Staff-Development Leader in Virginia

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.

Showing Virginia — we’ll remember it for you.

Virginia

In Virginia, the nurse who leads staff education and training is commonly known as a Nurse Aide Education Program 'Program Coordinator' / 'Primary Instructor'. It’s a valued, higher-responsibility role — and we can help you prepare for it and grow your long-term-care career.

Virginia has no distinct 'Director of Staff Development' credential to apply for. A nurse takes on the education/staff-development role by meeting 18VAC90-26-30 -- a current unrestricted Virginia RN license, two years as an RN, one year of direct-care or supervisory long-term-care experience -- plus Virginia's real overlays: at least 12 hours of teaching-adults coursework and a regulation refresher every three years, with Board of Nursing approval as the program's coordinator or primary instructor. Nurse-aide in-service is 12 hours per anniversary year, explicitly set by 12VAC5-371-260 and enforced by the Virginia Department of Health.

Study from Virginia 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 Virginia — our online courses are open to nurses and care staff in all 50 states:

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Whatever Virginia 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 Virginia 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.

Available in all 50 states Certificate of completion 100% online & self-paced

How the role works in Virginia — official details

Commonly called
Nurse Aide Education Program 'Program Coordinator' / 'Primary Instructor'; facility staff-development or in-service coordinator
State credential
No distinct state credential — the facility designates the role.
Keeping skills current (in-service)
12 hrs/yr -- Virginia codifies the federal floor explicitly: 'Nurse aide inservice training shall consist of at least 12 hours per anniversary year' (12VAC5-371-260.F), with state-specified required topics (infection prevention/control, care of cognitively impaired residents, resident rights, restraint alternatives, Heimlich maneuver, pressure-sore prevention, and others).
Qualifying for the role
State overlay on 42 CFR 483.152 (18VAC90-26-30): the program coordinator/primary instructor must hold a current unrestricted Virginia RN license (or multistate privilege), with >=2 years of experience as an RN and >=1 year of direct client-care or supervisory experience in long-term-care services; instructional personnel must complete >=12 hours of teaching-adults coursework (or equivalent prior teaching experience) plus a refresher course every 3 years; in a facility-based program the Director of Nursing may serve as coordinator but may NOT do the classroom, skills-lab, or clinical teaching.
State approval & process
No standalone DSD credential. The Board of Nursing approves the nurse-aide education program and its named coordinator/primary instructor, who must meet 18VAC90-26-30 (Virginia RN license, experience, 12-hour teaching course, triennial refresher). Facility in-service coordinators are designated by the facility under 12VAC5-371-260.
Where to check the official rules
Two agencies. The Virginia Board of Nursing (Dept. of Health Professions) approves nurse-aide education programs and their coordinators/instructors (18VAC90-26). The Virginia Dept. of Health, Office of Licensure & Certification, enforces the nursing-facility staff-development/in-service rules (12VAC5-371).

General information to help you plan — not legal advice. Requirements can change, so confirm the specifics with your state’s licensing agency.
Sources: 18VAC90-26-30 · 18VAC90-26 · 12VAC5-371-260.

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