Collaboration is key to success for transition of newly licensed nurses to specialty areas

Abstract

Newly licensed nurses gain knowledge and skills at the academic level to enter the profession as novice nurses. A nurse residency program is crucial in the successful transition of new nurses to their professional role. In addition, supportive structures are essential for new nurses to acquire the skills, knowledge, and decision-making abilities appropriate for their specific area of practice. At Houston Methodist, an additional element of the nurse residency program includes transition to practice classes that are designed to increase new nurses’ knowledge and understanding of relevant skills. The classes provide practice in specific environments and improve self-confidence with elements identified through Casey-Fink surveys. In addition to the initial classes developed to support these areas, feedback showed the need to incorporate specific classes for specialized environments. As a result, the coordinators of the nurse residency program, experts, and leaders from specialty areas explored and developed specific learning opportunities. The aim of this article is to showcase the strategies used to develop customized approaches to ensure successful transitions to practice for newly licensed nurses.