Nurse Residency Program: Road to Accreditation with Distinction

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to help Hospital Z’s nurse residency program meet the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) practice transition accreditation program (PTAP) with distinction criteria by earning ANCC nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) contact hours for the didactic curriculum classes. Hospital Z’s entire nurse residency program was ANCC PTAP accredited, but the program must reapply for this accreditation in 2024. This project aimed to help the residency program earn ANCC PTAP accreditation with distinction, showing a commitment to excellence, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement initiatives by updating the didactic curriculum to meet ANCC NCPD criteria. Without reevaluating the program, Hospital Z risked decreased nurse recruitment into the program and increased nurse turnover due to difficulties transitioning into professional nursing practice. Utilizing the Donabedian Quality Improvement Framework, the current residency program’s structure, processes, and outcomes were assessed to identify areas that prevented the program from meeting ANCC NCPD criteria. Following the direction of this author and the ANCC NCPD expert at Hospital Z, the residency coordinators started process changes to move toward ANCC NCPD accreditation. The residency coordinators planned to assess resident confidence, competence, and retention after implementation of the new program. Once the didactic curriculum meets ANCC NCPD criteria for contact hours, the residency program coordinators could highlight this achievement in their 2024 application for PTAP accreditation with distinction. Earning ANCC PTAP accreditation with distinction is the highest honor for a residency program and could increase national recognition of the program, draw more qualified applicants, and increase funding for the program.