New England Baptist Hospital (NEBH) is proud to offer a Transition to Practice (TTP) Nurse Residency program with two tracks: Inpatient Surgical and Operating Room. This innovative program provides a structured, supportive, and interactive environment that bridges the gap from the academic setting to the professional practice environment and is designed to support the transition of new graduate nurses with less than one-year experience. Our TTP is a 12-month program that ensures a unique opportunity for the newly licensed nurse to successfully transition to an acute care setting while addressing the realities of clinical practice under the guidance and support of our clinical nursing staff, nurse educators, nurse leaders and program facilitators.

The TTP provides a concept-based curriculum that integrates professional practice and specialty population content to individualize each nurse’s transition and optimize the use of evidence based best practices within competencies. Throughout the program, nurses are challenged to know, own, and practice their responsibilities for self-direction, self-management, reflection, and peer feedback. The program includes didactic and simulated learning combined with hands-on training in the clinical practice environment, facilitating the nurse resident’s transition from novice to competent nurse. Additionally, the program aims to create a strong social network that fosters a sense of community, support, resiliency, lifelong learning and professional development at NEBH.

The nurse residents are paired with a preceptor on their unit to provide the education, clinical experiences and professional development necessary for the expansion of knowledge and skills required in the development of safe, competent, professional nursing care. In addition, participants meet monthly for nine months. During this time, participants are engaged in group problem-solving activities, critical thinking exercises, hands-on skill practice, simulation and developing communication skills necessary for the transition from new graduate nurse to confident professional nurse. Residents must successfully complete the comprehensive program.

Participants in the TTP must have graduated from an accredited school of nursing program and have a Massachusetts RN license prior to the employment start date. Eligible participants include those that have less than one-year nursing work experience or if foreign trained, have not practiced nursing in the United States for a minimum of one year. For more information, contact the NEBH Human Resources Department.

Program Overview

The Transition to Practice program at NEBH includes:

New Employee Orientation (NEO)

The nurse resident attends an 8-hour day of organizational orientation. NEO includes a warm welcome and introduction to the Baptist Way and Legendary Service and introduction to compliance, quality and patient safety, infection prevention and control, security/environmental safety, IT security and employee health.

Nursing Orientation

The nurse resident attends four full days of nursing orientation. This consists of classroom didactic on our department, its culture, vision and values; citizenship; quality and safety/infection prevention; communication; ANA principles and the MA RN Practice Act; patient experience; emergent care; medication management; pain management; skin management; EMR/documentation; workplace safety; basic arrhythmia I & II; orthopedic surgery; patient education and teach back; respiratory care; well-being; and safe patient handling. An additional skills day is also offered.

Preceptor Led, Competency-Based Orientation/Unit-Based Orientation

Preceptorship is a minimum of 3 months. Preceptors are trained in the art and science of teaching and competency validation. Regular meetings with the unit nurse manager, clinical leader, and clinical educator occur within the orientation period to evaluate progress, assess learning needs, and address any potential remediation.

Transition to Practice Program

The NEBH TPP is designed to support the transition from student to professional nurse through education, mentorship and peer support. The program prepares newly licensed nurses to have the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to continuously improve the quality and safety of their nursing practice.

The TPP’s curriculum is founded upon the latest evidence and supports our Journey of Excellence and Magnet Re-Designation. Participants benefit from dedicated classroom instruction, patient simulation activities, hands-on skill training and professional development content. The nurse resident graduates after successful completion of NEO, nursing orientation, unit/practice area competency attainment, professional development classroom series content, and a nurse case review presentation.

Professional Development

At month four, we begin a monthly 4-hour classroom session on the following topics:

• Time Management, Delegation, Prioritization
• Journey of Excellence & Professional Governance
• Communication & Feedback
• Complications of Orthopedic Surgery
• Regulatory Readiness, Continuous Improvement & Patient Experience
• Fostering Well Being & Workplace Safety
• Critical Thinking
• Ethical Decision Making, Advocacy & Essential Elements of Documentation, including Risk Mitigation Strategies
• Professional Advancement Program & Mentorship

Program Goals

• Nursing Professional Development: 90% of the nurse residents present an evidence-based case review during their residency.
  • NEBH Outcome: 100% completed
• Practice-based Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes: 90% of the nurse residents complete all orientation competencies by the completion of preceptor led orientation.
  • NEBH Outcome: 100% completed
• Self-Reported: >/= 90% of nurse residents, using the Casey Fink Readiness to Practice Survey, report an increase in readiness to practice at the completion of preceptor led orientation.
  • NEBH Outcome: 100% reported increase
• Financial: 90%-year one retention rate of nurse residents who entered into the program between November 2020 and January 2021.
  • NEBH Outcome: 89% one-year retention rate