PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This year, more than 40 Pennsylvania hospitals will participate in the Pennsylvania Nurse Residency Collaborative (PA-NRC), a joint initiative between the Pennsylvania Action Coalition (PA-AC) and The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™. Through the PA-NRC, hospitals throughout the Commonwealth will have access to the Nurse Residency Program. Pennsylvania is the third state in the U.S. to adopt this renowned program at the state level, as recommended in the Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing Report.
“Nurses want more resources and training focused on leadership, patient outcomes, and professional development, and now Pennsylvania hospitals are leading the way in training for new nurses,” said Sarah Hexem, PA-AC Executive Director. “This training will empower nurses with evidence-based resources that will improve patient care and better welcome nurses to the clinical setting.”
The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program, developed jointly by Vizient, Inc. and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), eases the transition for nurses from the classroom setting to the clinical practice environment to promote quality, safety, and reduce turnover rates for first-year nurses. In their future of nursing report, the Institute of Medicine recommends such nurse residency programs support nurses in taking a greater role in the health care system. Amy Ricords, MEd, BSN, RN-BC Director Nursing Education and Professional Development at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and chair of the PA-AC Nurse Residency Council, explains, “Nurse residencies make a huge difference, not only for the new nurses but for the entire health system.”
For its first year, the PA-NRC welcomes 40 hospitals participating in the program, including early adopters of the Nurse Residency Program as well as several new hospitals and health systems. Participants include the Allegheny Health Network, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Main Line Health System, Pinnacle Health System, St. Luke's University Health Network, Reading Health System, Temple University Health System, Einstein Healthcare Network, Thomas Jefferson Hospital, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In the future, the PA Nurse Residency Collaborative also hopes to provide greater resources to the state’s rural hospitals, which often lack the training capacity of their urban counterparts.
About the Pennsylvania Action Coalition
The Pennsylvania Action Coalition (PA-AC) was established in 2011 to guide the implementation of the Institute of Medicine's “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health” report recommendations in the state. PA-AC is part of the Campaign for Action, a national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AARP, and AARP Foundation, which is coordinated by the Center to Champion Nursing in America. PA-AC works to promote a healthy Pennsylvania through improvements in the quality, accessibility, and safety of nursing. PA-AC aims to achieve its goals by building strategic partnerships throughout the state. The coalition comprises a diverse group of local, regional, and state-level stakeholders. These include individuals and organizations from health care systems, academic institutions, nursing leadership organizations, businesses, community organizations and anyone involved in advancing health care through nursing in Pennsylvania. The PA-AC is housed at the National Nurse-led Care Consortium, an affiliate of Public Health Management Corporation.
About The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™
The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™ operates at more than 340 healthcare organizations. Since its establishment in 2002, more than 72,000 new graduate nurses have participated in the program. Notably, The Institute of Medicine published The Future of Nursing report identifying actionable measures that will transform the nursing profession –specifically highlighting the importance of nurse residency programs to aid in the transition to clinical practice. The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program has reduced turnover rates among first-year nurses achieving a retention rate of 95%, exceeding the national average of 82%. For more information, visit The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™.
