Ann M. Mitchell
University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, USA
Title: Development of a Transition to Practice Model Based on QSEN Competencies
Biography
Biography: Ann M. Mitchell
Abstract
Problem: Many hospitals in the United States as well as Japan, have difficulty orienting and retaining new nurse graduates. Hospitals employing graduates from their own schools of nursing as well as from other schools have been challenged with prolonged periods of orientation time (up to one year) before the new nurse graduate is able to function autonomously. Furthermore, once through orientation, hospitals are again having difficulty keeping these new nurses employed at the hospital, costing the hospital system enormous resources in terms of both money and time. Purpose: Based on a comprehensive assessment of a Japanese hospital system and its associated School of Nursing in Iizuka, Japan, a team of nursing education experts from the U.S. worked with the hospital and its school’s nursing leaders to design a customized, culturally appropriate, Transition to Practice (TTP) model for newly hired registered nurses. Methods: Through a series of focus groups and nominal group techniques involving all levels of nursing (students to the Chief Nursing Officer), the experts designed a model for Transition to Practice based on the Japanese principles of Kaizen (quality improvement) and Wakaba (nurturing the young leaf). Findings: The newly developed Transition to Practice model encompasses an Academic Service Partnership, a Preceptor Academy, and Residency for Practice. It also calls for a school of nursing curriculum redesign to emphasize readiness to practice, particularly in the senior year. QSEN competencies and KSA's serve as the core component for the school of nursing curriculum redesign, preceptor education, and residency infusion.