Now, NJAC and Rutgers University School of Nursing have published "Developing a Residency in Post-Acute Care" for PAC nursing leaders and educators to use, based on this experience. The book includes strategies for planning, implementing and evaluating a nurse residency program; detailed lesson plans; and many options for learning activities, including case studies, role playing, clinical simulation and Internet exploration. Nursing facilitators can choose to use all or part of the content outlines and select the activities that best meet their needs. The major curriculum sections are:
Although PAC facilities may lack the resources required for a full-scale nurse residency program, nurse leaders will find the chapters on preceptor education helpful for all who participate in new nurse transition to practice. The Nurse of the Future Competency and geriatric syndrome sections are readily adaptable for orientation and ongoing staff development activities for various levels of staff and health care disciplines. With rapidly changing patient needs, keeping all staff updated and prepared to face new challenges is an absolute necessity. An educated staff will remain engaged and confront new situations confidently.
The research completed for the first two years of this project demonstrated overwhelmingly positive impact on new nurse competence, confidence, role development and clinical practice; as well as an 86 percent retention rate. Since higher retention rates will reduce the costs of turnover, this translates into considerable economic benefits. During all three years of the Program, reaction from participants and nurse leaders was extremely positive. Directors of Nursing were able to observe significant differences in the participating nurses’ clinical knowledge, understanding of the current workplace issues, confidence and independence. Many new nurses were able to assume beginning leadership roles and all developed plans to reduce facility-based clinical problems using quality improvement, evidence-based practice and teamwork skills learned in the program. In other words, they became engaged staff members who helped stabilize the facility and enhance care.
About the author: Katherine Kuren Black, MSN, RN-BC, is a clinical assistant professor at Rutgers School of Nursing. Since 2014, she has been working on the NJ Action Coalition’s Nurse Residency Program, a statewide transition-to-practice initiative.
She is a graduate of Rutgers, the State University of NJ and The University of Pennsylvania; and is certified in Professional Nursing Development.
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