Mobile app a “shining light” for nurses’ professional growth
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) is helping nurses stay on top of CPD
Nurses can now keep career guidance in their pocket, with a new digital app created by an industry peak body, designed with and for the workforce.
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) is well aware that nurses have to keep up with continuing professional development (CPD) as a requirement, as the role has become increasingly professionalised.
Seeing a gap in the market for a multidimensional tool that delivers the education and career support nurses need, APNA took matters into its own hands, developing a mobile application that features tailored CPD solutions.
The app is called Florence by APNA – a free professional development and career growth application, created to support nurses throughout every stage of their working life.
Named after the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, the app has been designed to tackle the key issues nurses face when completing their mandatory learning requirements, with an aim to lighten the load of keeping up with professional development.
“We are kind of shining light on how to run your career and plan your career a bit better,” APNA chief Ken Griffin told Aged Care Insite.
“There’s a big grudge factor in doing CPD. We’ve known that for a long time. And so we’ve actually looked at how we can make that easier.”
As strong advocates for nurses across the country working to their full scope of practice, APNA has introduced Florence as a way to help each individual recognise their own potential.
“[Florence] will help by recommending education pathways, based on what you want to do in your career. And on top of that, as we turn on more functionality, it’s going to make it easier to secure jobs that are a good fit for your skills and for the kinds of things you want do,” Mr Griffin said.
Florence will help nurses to:
- Get tailored CPD recommendations based on their clinical setting and scope
- Capture learning from everyday sources – podcasts, webinars, mentorship, workshops
- Set goals and track their professional progress
- Understand how their skills compare with peers across the country
- Be matched with opportunities – from research to employment to leadership pathways.
Mitch Wall, interim chief of staff and general manager at APNA, calls the digital tool a “career enabler.”
“We’ve built it to help nurses capture their learning, reflect on their growth, and unlock new professional possibilities,” he said.
“Every feature of Florence was designed with nurses at the centre. From CPD tracking to opportunity matching, the app is practical, powerful, and grounded in real nurse insights.”
Co-designed with the workforce, the app builds upon the organisation’s established career and education frameworks.
“We weren’t interested in just building another CPD tracker. Florence is designed to shift mindsets, from ticking boxes to building careers.”
“The development of Florence reflects years of research, co-design with nurses, and a bold vision to modernise how the profession grows. It’s technology with purpose, and it’s just the beginning,” Mr Wall said.
“Florence is about visibility. It’s about making sure nurses can see where they are, where they’re going, and just how much they already contribute to Australia’s health system.”
⮚ Find out more and download the Florence app here.
Email: [email protected]
