Abstract

The success of the Perinatal Transition to Practice (TTP) Program across a multi-site integrated health system is built on the pillars of The Standards of Healthy Work Environments, American Nurses Credentialling Center (ANCC) Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP)2 domains, and Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). This glimpse of the Perinatal TTP Program will provide insight on three of the six American Association of Critical-Care Nurses essential standards1 that support communication, professional development, and the essence of nursing excellence. To support the transition of experienced nurse from novice to expert7 in a new specialty setting Skilled Communication, True Collaboration, and Authentic Leadership1 are highlighted throughout a 48-week program in addition to including IPEC values and ethics, Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, roles, and responsibilities for collaborative practice, interprofessional communication, teamwork, and team-based care4.

In the first phase of the program didactic education and theoretical contentare supported by Perinatal subject matter experts providing supplemental lectures related to assigned content weekly and interdisciplinary guest lecturers including nurse leaders, physicians, lactation consultants, bioethicists, and social workers providing diverse perspectives as subject matter experts in their roles with application and integration into patient care. The involvement of nursing and interprofessional leadership are a testament to the commitment of Program Leadership2. To enculturate the TTP Participants, the program embodies the organization’s strategic goals, mission, vision, and values2. It is imperative our specialty RN participants understand and recognize the significance of promoting Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity integrated throughout nursing and interprofessional practice in addition to understanding the implications of implicit and explicit bias. This valuable component of the program gives an opportunity for an emphasis on diversity to be recognized as an individual’s “collective strength of experiences, beliefs, values, skills, and perspectives”6. These learned skills are nurtured through practice-based learning2 by preceptorship and clinical immersion.

The program views nursing and patient satisfaction as symbiotic; nurses communicating with their peers and interprofessional colleagues allows for effective collaboration which results in safe patient care. This partnership increases work engagement and job satisfaction and allows for nursing voices to be heard. Delivery of safe patient care begins with the nurse; it is essential to equip the TTP RN with tools and resources that ensure a healthy work environment. Participants of the TTP Program are grown and nurtured in a supportive clinical setting that follows them long after completion of the program. Past participants have provided valuable feedback to support the program. A qualitative review was conducted for all participants in 2022 to determine the effectiveness of the program’s development and design2, and have expressed interest in precepting and mentoring future cohorts which exemplifies Authentic Leadership5 within the nursing profession. Quality outcomesof the Transition to Practice Program offers participants an opportunity to reignite their passion for nursing and elevate patient care resulting in job retention, renewed perspective, shared decision making and a commitment to keep the patient in the center of everything that emulates nursing care.

Notes

Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.

Additional references available in attached slide deck.

References:

1. Armenia, S., Thangamathesvaran, L., Caine, A., King, N., Kunac, A., & Merchant, A. (2018). The role of high-fidelity tea-based simulation in acute care settings: A systematic review. The Surgery Journal, 4(3), e136-151. DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1667315

2. Goolsarran, N., Hamo, C.E., Lane, S. et al. (2018). Effectiveness of an interprofessional patient safety team-based learning simulation experience on healthcare professional trainees. BMC Med Educ, 18, 192. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-018-1301-4

3. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2023). TeamSTEPPS Pocket Guide App. https://www.ahrq.gov/teamstepps/instructor/essentials/pocketguideapp.html

4. Dolowitz, A. (2020). What is team-based learning, and how is it used in nursing? Indian Journal of Continuing Nursing Education, 21(2), 198-205. DOI: 10.4103/IJCN.IJCN_8_21

5. Lowe, N., & Hartley, A. (2012). JOGNN’s editorial statement on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 51(1), 1-3

Description

The Perinatal Transition to Practice Program is established on the foundation of Healthy Work Environment Standards exemplifying Skilled Communication, True Collaboration, and Authentic Leadership. Integration of Interprofessional Collaboration has impacted patient outcomes by preparing nurses who develop emotional intelligence and provide inclusive care across a multisite integrated health system.

Author Details

Grace Sekayan, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, PHN, CCRN-K; Ghada Dunbar, PhD, DNP,  MHA, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, CENP, CNML

Sigma Membership

Phi Alpha

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Other

Keywords:

Transitional Programs, New Graduate Nurses, Perinatal Nursing, Interprofessional Collaboration, Work Environment -- Standards, Nursing Leadership, Communcation

Conference Name

Creating Healthy Work Environments

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Washington, DC, USA

Conference Year

2024

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2026-02-24

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Raising the Standard in Transition to Practice With Interprofessional Collaboration in a Healthy Work Environment

Washington, DC, USA

The success of the Perinatal Transition to Practice (TTP) Program across a multi-site integrated health system is built on the pillars of The Standards of Healthy Work Environments, American Nurses Credentialling Center (ANCC) Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP)2 domains, and Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). This glimpse of the Perinatal TTP Program will provide insight on three of the six American Association of Critical-Care Nurses essential standards1 that support communication, professional development, and the essence of nursing excellence. To support the transition of experienced nurse from novice to expert7 in a new specialty setting Skilled Communication, True Collaboration, and Authentic Leadership1 are highlighted throughout a 48-week program in addition to including IPEC values and ethics, Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, roles, and responsibilities for collaborative practice, interprofessional communication, teamwork, and team-based care4.

In the first phase of the program didactic education and theoretical contentare supported by Perinatal subject matter experts providing supplemental lectures related to assigned content weekly and interdisciplinary guest lecturers including nurse leaders, physicians, lactation consultants, bioethicists, and social workers providing diverse perspectives as subject matter experts in their roles with application and integration into patient care. The involvement of nursing and interprofessional leadership are a testament to the commitment of Program Leadership2. To enculturate the TTP Participants, the program embodies the organization’s strategic goals, mission, vision, and values2. It is imperative our specialty RN participants understand and recognize the significance of promoting Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity integrated throughout nursing and interprofessional practice in addition to understanding the implications of implicit and explicit bias. This valuable component of the program gives an opportunity for an emphasis on diversity to be recognized as an individual’s “collective strength of experiences, beliefs, values, skills, and perspectives”6. These learned skills are nurtured through practice-based learning2 by preceptorship and clinical immersion.

The program views nursing and patient satisfaction as symbiotic; nurses communicating with their peers and interprofessional colleagues allows for effective collaboration which results in safe patient care. This partnership increases work engagement and job satisfaction and allows for nursing voices to be heard. Delivery of safe patient care begins with the nurse; it is essential to equip the TTP RN with tools and resources that ensure a healthy work environment. Participants of the TTP Program are grown and nurtured in a supportive clinical setting that follows them long after completion of the program. Past participants have provided valuable feedback to support the program. A qualitative review was conducted for all participants in 2022 to determine the effectiveness of the program’s development and design2, and have expressed interest in precepting and mentoring future cohorts which exemplifies Authentic Leadership5 within the nursing profession. Quality outcomesof the Transition to Practice Program offers participants an opportunity to reignite their passion for nursing and elevate patient care resulting in job retention, renewed perspective, shared decision making and a commitment to keep the patient in the center of everything that emulates nursing care.