Accreditation of a Nurse Residency Program

Abstract

Background. This quality improvement project proposal focuses on creating a pathway to ANCC PTAP accreditation for the nurse residency program at a 99-bed hospital in Montana. The proposal aims to gain key stakeholder engagement and support for anticipated program changes. Local Problem. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, high turnover among nursing staff highlights the need for quality onboarding and retention of newly graduated nurses. Addressing this problem requires the implementation of a standardized and evidence-based nurse residency program to improve nurse satisfaction and decrease 1-year nurse turnover. Methods. A nurse residency program steering committee, stakeholder survey, and gap analysis tool were utilized to evaluate the current state of the program and inform change satisfactory of ANCC-PTAP accreditation requirements. SMART goals were implemented to establish baseline outcome data, set outcome goals, and track program progress over time. Interventions. Anticipated program changes were addressed including, but not limited to, the revision of the preceptor program, the creation of a mentorship program, the development of a content revision policy, additional NPD practitioner training, the inclusion of more competency-based learning activities, and the creation of a newly licensed nurse onboarding pathway.