Arizona Transition to Practice Program for New to Specialty Nurses
The Arizona Transition to Practice Program for New to Specialty Nurses aims to provide nurses transitioning to new specialty areas with evidence-based content to help them become competent more rapidly and offer opportunities for professional growth with an added benefit of specialty certification preparation.
About the program
This program offers a range of benefits to nurses, hospitals and patients alike. The program provides comprehensive education for nurses new to specialty, continuing education hours, mentorship and a smooth transition into a new professional practice setting. With these valuable benefits, the Arizona Transition to Practice Program is designed to foster excellence in nursing care and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Eligibility
Any Arizona healthcare facility licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services that hires registered nurses can apply. To be eligible for participation, the new nurses must have their RN license and limited experience with the new area of specialty.
What you need to know:
- Priority is given to critical access hospitals or hospitals located in counties with a population of less than 500,000 people with a focus on facilities serving the underserved.
- Participation in the program is voluntary, and there is no cost to join.
Program goals
With this program, we aspire to create an environment where our nurses can transition seamlessly into new practice areas, gaining the confidence and competence they need to provide the best possible care to our communities. To reach this goal, the program:
- Provides evidence-based professional development.
- Accelerates the experienced nurse to a competent specialized nurse more rapidly.
- Increases confidence and promotes independent practice in the registered nurse.
New to specialty program offerings and descriptions
View the Arizona Transition to Practice Program for New to Specialty Nurses program overview guide.
Emergency department
To help nurses who are interested in transitioning to a role in the emergency department, the Arizona Transition to Practice Program is offering access to two courses from the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA): Clinical practice – novice pathway and triage curriculum. The in-depth curriculum offers extensive information on a variety of topics meant to help the new nurse in the emergency department. Learners participate in the courses as an independent study.
Intensive care unit/critical care
To help nurses who are interested in transitioning to an intensive care unit (ICU) or critical care role, the Arizona Transition to Practice Program is offering access to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Essentials of Critical Care Orientation (ECCO) 4.0 (ICU). The in-depth curriculum offers a self-paced, online course designed for nurses who are new to or are transitioning from other areas of the hospital into intensive care. This program equips learners with the knowledge and confidence to provide safe patient care.
Progressive care unit
To help nurses who are interested in transitioning to a progressive care unit (PCU)/intensive care step down role, the Arizona Transition to Practice Program is offering access to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Essentials of Critical Care Orientation (ECCO) 4.0 (PCU). The in-depth curriculum offers a self-paced, online course designed for nurses who are new to or are transitioning from other areas of the hospital into PCU. This program equips learners with the knowledge and confidence to provide safe patient care.
Medical-surgical nursing
To help nurses who are interested in transitioning to a medical-surgical (med-surg) role, the Arizona Transition to Practice Program is offering access to the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) Certification Review Course.
The in-depth curriculum offers a self-paced and interactive review of the most common diseases, symptoms and issues seen in patients by medical-surgical nurses, along with the respective nursing assessments and interventions required by medical-surgical nurses. For learners not planning to take the CMSRN Exam, this course provides relevant content to be used by medical-surgical nurses throughout their careers.
Obstetrics
To help nurses who are interested in transitioning to obstetrics (OB), the Arizona Transition to Practice Program is offering access to the HealthStream Quality OB Program. The in-depth curriculum offers extensive information on a variety of topics and provides content that meets regulatory requirements for interprofessional training (hypertension, hypertension for emergency staff and postpartum hemorrhage). Learners participate in the program as an independent study.
Operating room
To help nurses who are interested in transitioning to a role in the operating room (OR), the Arizona Transition to Practice Program is offering access to Periop 101: A Core CurriculumTM from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). The comprehensive, standardized education program is for registered nurses entering the perioperative specialty. Learners participate in the course as an independent study.
This program provides a consistent and current foundation of knowledge through online learning, along with clinical experience. It is designed to meet the latest evidence-based AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice and includes graduate-level QSEN competencies.
Breakdown by specialty
Participating facilities
See the complete list of facilities currently participating in the Arizona Transition to Practice Program for New to Specialty Nurses.
Program contact information
Karen Ofafa, EdD, MPH, BSN, R.N.
Vice President, Workforce and Clinical Excellence
kofafa@azhha.org
602-445-4337
