Charting the Path to Success: An Innovative Fellowship Program to Support Registered Nurses' Role Transition (Spotlight Poster)

Purpose: Transitioning into ambulatory care nursing presents unique challenges for experienced registered nurses (RNs). Despite the common assumption that experienced RNs can seamlessly adapt to any healthcare setting, a substantial number report a limited understanding of the role and expectations of an RN in ambulatory care. This transition is similar to post-licensure transition to practice, but lacks the support typically provided through formalized nurse residency programs. Observations show that many RNs return to their previous practice settings within 3-12 months of transitioning into ambulatory care. There is a solution to this challenge that can aid experienced RNs in successfully navigating this transition period and remaining in their roles as ambulatory care RNs. This solution comes in support like a residency program.
Description: A large multi-site health system in the Midwest has implemented an innovative custom multimodal program titled “The Ambulatory Nursing Fellowship” in January 2023. This program is designed to provide targeted education and support to experienced RNs during the critical role transition period. The curriculum for the ambulatory nursing fellowship was developed using the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing’s (AAACN) RN residency program as a blueprint. This six-month program comprises monthly asynchronous didactic courses delivered through a learning management system and monthly in-person peer group meetings. The didactic content is designed to equip RNs with knowledge specific to the ambulatory care setting. This includes a wide range of topics, such as telehealth, care coordination, models of care, scopes of practice, compliance with regulatory bodies, ethical practice, health literacy, cultural competence, leadership, and certification preparation. These topics are all crucial for RNs practicing in ambulatory care. The monthly peer group meetings offer education on health system-specific ambulatory care workflows such as organizational improvement, electronic medical record use optimization, comprehensive behavioral health patient care, and more. They also provide networking and social support among RNs experiencing the role transition simultaneously allowing RNs to share their experiences, support, and learn from each other.
Outcome: As of June 2024, 30 RNs have completed the program. 97% of these RNs remain in their roles as ambulatory care RNs. This retention rate serves as a reminder that even the most experienced RNs can benefit from targeted support and education when transitioning into a new specialty. Multi-site expansion, NCPD, and virtual attendance options are planned for program enhancement. The program’s success highlights the value of targeted support during role transitions, and plans for multi-hospital expansion, NCPD, and virtual attendance options further enhance its impact.