Problem Statement
Nurse residency programs prove to be an effective means of facilitating the smoother transition of the qualified nurse professionals to clinical practice. This critical analysis explores the systematic requirement of developing the nurse residency programs with the objective of helping the nurse graduates in joining nurse residency following the successful accomplishment of their advanced practice degree program.
Recommendation
The configuration of multiple stages of a nurse residency program requires the systematic development of the program infrastructure in the context of evidence-based literature. Consistent execution of the nurse residency program requires its periodic evaluation and dissemination of the findings between the program organizers (Bratt, 2013). Nurse residency programs effectively facilitate the evaluation of the strategies, concepts and principles required for improvement in workplace environment warranted for the professional development of nursing practice (Anderson, Hair, & Todero, 2012). However, the acquisition of shared feedback from the stakeholders of the nursing residency programs is highly required in the context of evaluating their benefits as well as areas of improvement across the workplace environment (Adams, et al., 2015). The nursing state boards in coordination with the local healthcare authorities need to advocate the implementation of nurse residency programs for the effective acquisition of new practice domain by the qualified nurse professionals (Institute of Medicine, 2011). The Secretary of Health and Human Services should utilize and invest sufficient funds for the effective implementation of nurse residency programs across the critical access areas and rural sector (Institute of Medicine, 2011). The healthcare organizations as well as the insurance agencies need to provide regular funding for the execution of nurse residency programs in various hospital-setting (Institute of Medicine, 2011). The enhancement of competencies of nurse professionals, reduction in their attrition rate and elevation in the patient outcomes requires the regular evaluation of the nurse residency programs by the respective healthcare organizations (Institute of Medicine, 2011).
Background
The nurse residency programs prove to be an effective means of supporting the nurse professionals during the economic inconsistencies (Pittman, Herrera, Bass, & Thompson, 2013). These programs undoubtedly facilitate the retention of nursing professionals in the clinical practice and enhance the clinical outcomes with the configuration of a professional working environment. The implementation of the nurse residency programs requires the coordinated actions by the healthcare organizations, the federal government, accrediting bodies and nursing state boards with the objective of accomplishing the transition of the nurse professionals to the profile of a registered nurse in the hospital setting (Institute of Medicine, 2011).
Current Characteristics
The nurse residency programs require the effective engagement of the capable faculty members who have actively served in the clinical practice domain with the objective of improving the healthcare of the patient population (Institute of Medicine, 2011a). These professionals need to have both practical and academic experience and exposure to nursing practice. The faculty members of the nurse residency programs need to possess a professional certification and clinical competence in their areas of expertise (Institute of Medicine, 2011a). They should effectively collaborate with the multidisciplinary professionals including public health experts, social workers, lawmakers, engineers and physicians with the objective of successfully accomplishing the residency sessions before the committed deadlines (Institute of Medicine, 2011a). The conveners of the nurse residency programs need to undertake proactive efforts with the objective of facilitating interprofessional education for the systematic elevation of competencies of the nurse professionals aspiring to acquire a registered nurse profile in the hospital settings (Institute of Medicine, 2011a).
The Impact of the Recommendation from the Perspective of Consumers, Nurses, other Health Professionals and additional Stakeholders
The recommendation for the nurse residency programs facilitates the improvement of the performance behaviors of the registered nurse professionals across the practice environment (Anderson, Hair, & Todero, 2012). The execution of the nurse residency programs assists in the improvement in the clinical knowledge, critical thinking, communication and collaboration skills, and leadership qualities of the nurse professionals (Anderson, Hair, & Todero, 2012). The nurse professionals acquire the capacity of acclimatizing with the organizational culture and catering to the consumers’ requirements with the systematic assistance acquired by the nurse residency programs. The recommendation of the nurse residency programs increases the trust and confidence of consumers on the clinical competence of nursing professionals as well as healthcare providers (NACNEP, 2010). The key stakeholders under the influence of the Institute of Medicine recommendation also attain the opportunity of undertaking bigger investments in the nurse residency programs with the objective of enhancing the healthcare outcomes as well as revenue cycle management.
Professionals and additional Stakeholders
The key stakeholders for the nurse residency programs include the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the new nursing graduates, hospitals, nursing institutes and community healthcare centers (Goode, Lynn, Krsek, & Bednash, 2009). These stakeholders require active collaboration with the objective of accomplishing the professional requirements of the inexperienced nurses and preparing them for an active integration to the elevated acuity settings in the context of improving the execution of safe and qualitative nursing care services across the hospital environment (Bérubé, et al., 2012). The other stakeholders who actively facilitate the execution of nurse residency programs include the nursing unit managers and the administrative and executive teams who perform the financial planning for the configuration and implementation of the nurse residency programs across the hospital settings.
Current Solutions
The structure, format and content of the nurse residency programs require configuration in accordance with the requirements of healthcare organizations while keeping into focus consumer demands of attaining safe and qualitative healthcare services in the clinical setting. The nurse residency programs should specifically emphasize the requirement of developing the medical decision-making capacity, professionalism, leadership qualities, integrated-care skills, potential for therapeutic communication, humanistic behavior, scientific rigor and capacity of clinical judgment of the nurse professionals for effectively elevating the healthcare outcomes following the systematized administration of medical interventions (Berube, et al., 2012).
Status of the Nurse Residency Programs in the Health Policy Arena
Healthcare policy across the United States advocates the requirement of the execution of evidence-based nursing practice across the healthcare settings (Institute of Medicine, 2011a). The policy also emphasizes the requirement of improving the research skills of the nurse professionals while reducing the inconsistencies like understaffed teams and lack of teamwork among the community of registered nurses (Institute of Medicine, 2011a). The nurse residency programs follow the same objectives for effectively improving the clinical competencies of the prospective nursing taskforce.
Conclusion
Nurse residency programs require systematic configuration with the objective of facilitating the transition of nursing graduates into their professional registered nurse role. These programs focus on the enhancement of the learning experiences of nursing professionals with the objective of improving their leadership skills and clinical attributes in the practice environment. The nurses undertaking the nurse residency programs are expected to improve the pattern of their critical thinking, leadership qualities and communication skills, knowledge of evidence-based nursing practice and professionalism with the objective of delivering safe and qualitative patient-centered services while reducing the associated health risks for the treated patients in the healthcare settings.
References
Adams, J. M., Alexander, G. A., Chisari, R. G., Banister, G., McAuley, M. E., Whitney, K. B., & Erickson, J. I. (2015). Strengthening new graduate nurse residency programs in critical care: recommendations from nurse residents and organizational stakeholders. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41-48. doi:10.3928/00220124-20151217-01
Anderson, G., Hair, C., & Todero, C. (2012). Nurse Residency Programs: An Evidence-Based Review of Theory, Process, and Outcomes. Journal of Professional Nursing, 28(4), 203-212.
Berube, M., Valiquette, M. P., Laplante, E., Lepage, I., Belmonte, A., Tanguay, N., . . . Touchette, S. (2012). Nursing Residency Program: A solution to Introduce New Grads into Critical Care More Safely While Improving Accessibility to Services. Innovation in Nursing Leadership, 50-67. Retrieved from http://tools.hhr-rhs.ca/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=att_download&link_id=11041&cf_id=68&lang=en
Bratt, M. (2013). Nurse residency program: best practices for optimizing organizational success. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 102-110. doi:10.1097/NND.0b013e318292649f
Goode, C. J., Lynn, M. R., Krsek, C., & Bednash, G. D. (2009). Nurse Residency Programs: An Essential Requirement for Nursing. Nursing Economics, 142-147.
NACNEP. (2010). Addressing New Challenges Facing Nursing Education: Solutions for a Transforming Healthcare Environment. USA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Pittman, P., Herrera, C., Bass, E., & Thompson, P. (2013). Residency programs for new nurse graduates: how widespread are they and what are the primary obstacles to further adoption? The Journal of Nursing Administration, 597-602. doi:10.1097/01.NNA.0000434507.59126.78
