Nurses Attend Transition to Practice Program Meeting
ORLANDO, Fla. – Program directors (PDs) for the RN Transition to Practice Program (RNTTP) met in Orlando, Florida during September. Speakers included seasoned PDs and nurse executives who provided information for implementing and effectively managing this program. Providing clinical and leadership curriculum and experiences support the RN residents at the health care systems.
The RNTTP program focuses on providing safe and qualified nursing care to VHA Veterans. One teaching and learning method includes incorporating simulation into the program. An example includes development of critical thinking and communication skills as a member of a team with other nurses. This may be accomplished by using a mannequin as the patient until the skill the nurse, or nurses, are learning is mastered. Deborah Meyers, MSN, RN, WCC, Nurse Educator from the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Centerin Altoona, Pennsylvania attended the conference. She said, “a lot of people are using simulation more than expected. I learned a lot, and (it was) nice to see different ways of doing things.”
