Transition to the Specialty of Ambulatory Care

Nurse residencies are an effective strategy to increase nurse retention and help RNs transition to competent practice.

The AAACN Ambulatory Care Registered Nurse Residency Program is a evidence-based resource that ambulatory care facilities can use to help RNs attain the knowledge and skills they need to practice in the ambulatory care specialty.

The program is designed for ambulatory care facilities to transition into practice:

  • New RN graduates
  • Experienced RNs new to ambulatory care

    RNs completing the program will have the increased competence and confidence needed to provide safe, high-quality care.

    The program is customizable. With tools and content that can be tailored, it has everything needed for a facility to build their own program, using a standardized and comprehensive approach, including:

    • A curriculum guideline
    • Competency assessment (procedural and professional) guides
    • Clinical rotation guidelines
    • Checklists and templates           
    • Simulation guides
    • Preceptor and mentor tools

    View complete Table of Contents  |  Purchase the Ambulatory Care Registered Nurse Residency Program

    OVERVIEW

    The program was developed by the AAACN Nurse Residency Program Task Force. Have a look inside:

    Program content and features:

    • Is a template for implementing a residency program
    • Contains 11 major sections; 244 pages
    • Is easy to navigate
    • Is an electronic publication in PDF format
    • Features downloadable and customizable Word templates, checklists, guides, and forms
    • Is user friendly (print, search, zoom, and more)

    The program gives managers, directors, and educators:

    • The knowledge needed to implement a nurse residency program
    • The customizable tools to tailor the program to their specific needs and ambulatory care setting

    The program helps ambulatory care nurses attain:

    • Competence and confidence in their practice
    • The knowledge to provide safe, high-quality care
    • Demonstrated skills as both practitioners and leaders

    The need for a program specific to ambulatory care:

    • As the need for ambulatory care nurses rises in the changing health care environment, new graduates will be in great demand to fill much-needed RN positions. This has made the need for more competent, well-educated ambulatory care nurses even more urgent.
    • The AAACN Ambulatory Care RN Residency Program will also help retain nurses in the specialty and prepare them to handle increasingly complex patient care needs. The result will be fewer errors and better outcomes.

    PURCHASING INFORMATION

    Purchase the AAACN Registered Nurse Residency Program

    The AAACN Ambulatory Care RN Residency Program is now available to purchase in the AAACN store.

    • AAACN member: $199
    • Regular price: $259

    Program Goals

    “When executed with a rigorous structure based on professional and specialty competencies, an ambulatory registered nurse residency program has a strong potential to transform the nursing profession and advance ambulatory care nursing’s contribution to leading change and advancing health.”

    ~AAACN White Paper: The Need for an Ambulatory Nurse Residency Program

    Practices implementing the AAACN Ambulatory Care RN Residency Program should review the program goals and align activities with these outcomes.

    Completion of the program will allow the RN to:

    • Transition from novice or advanced beginner to the next professional level
    • Develop effective decision-making skills
    • Apply leadership skills
    • Employ effective communication
    • Develop critical reasoning and astute clinical judgement
    • Work collaboratively with the health care team
    • Use critical-thinking skills and patient engagement strategies to optimize outcomes

    RN Transition To Practice & Residency Community

    For AAACN members! Access the RN Transition to Practice & Residency Community, an online forum for AAACN members to ask questions and share implementation ideas related to the RN Residency Program. All AAACN members are welcome to join the Community.

    Jessie Jones-Bell MSN, RN, PHN and Laurel More MS, RN-BC, CPN, members of the AAACN task force that developed the program, have volunteered to facilitate this community.

    When you join the community, you will have opportunities to:

    • Discuss evidence-based best practices related to transition to practice and residency programs
    • Discover what others have done to prepare RNs for ambulatory care practice
    • Examine barriers and challenges in implementing a transition to practice program

    Join the Community Now

    *Note: You must be a AAACN member to join the RN Transition to Practice & Residency Community. When you follow the link to join the Community, you will be prompted to log in to your AAACN member account. After you log in, you’ll be redirected to the RN Residency Community page. Click Join Community on the right side of the page, select your email digest preference, and you’re in!

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