Nursing Professional Development

The mission of Nursing Professional Development Center is to design and implement high quality programs of professional development in which nurses engage to acquire and maintain competence, enhance professional nursing practice, and support the achievement of personal career goals.

The Nursing Professional Development Center offers the following to all health care professionals working at Children’s of Alabama:

American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) courses
Nursing Service Orientation
Transition to Practice (TIP) – newly hired/new graduate nurses
Education support / consults
Pediatric continuing education programs
Audiovisual equipment inclusive of mannequins
Coordination of clinicals for schools of nursing
Online resources, including Ovid and EBSCO

Children’s of Alabama is an Alabama Board of Nursing Provider for continuing nursing education.

Department location:
Children’s Harbor Building
Bradley Lecture Center, 4th floor, Suite 410

Contact Information

Nursing Professional Development
1600 6th Aveune South
Birmingham, Alabama 35233
Telephone: 205-638-9127
Fax: 205-638-6066
Email: nursing.education@childrensal.org
Hours of operation: Weekdays, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Department Director
Alyssa Cooper, MSN, RN-CPN
Alyssa.cooper@childrensal.org
Phone: 205-638-6113

Administrative Support
Tera Stallworth, MHA, BS
Professional Development Associate
tera.stallworth@childrensal.org
Phone: 205-638-9127

Barbara Wilhite
Secretary
barbara.wilhite@childrensal.org
Phone: 205-638-6246

Educators

Elsie Anwah, DNP, MSN, RN, CRNP-AC (BLS, PALS Coordinator)
elsie.anwah@childrensal.org
Phone: 205-638-9407

Ashlie Cassidy, MSN, BS, RN (Coordinator for Nursing Service Orientation and Transition into Practice Program)
ashlie.cassidy@childrendal.org
Phone: 205-638-9006

Debra Stewart, MSN, RN (CA orientation, Schools of Nursing)
debra.stewart@childrensal.org
Phone: 205-638-9909

Nursing Policy and Procedure Coordinator
Ann Bentley, BSN, RN, CPN
ann.bentley@childrensal.org
Phone: 205-638-6941