NSCBN: Accepting Study Site Apps for Phase II of NCSBN Transition to Practice Study

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The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN®) www.ncsbn.org is currently accepting study site applications for Phase II of the NCSBN Transition to Practice Study. During this phase, the study will follow newly hired registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs) who work in non-acute care settings, such as long-term care, community based or ambulatory care facilities, to evaluate safety and quality outcomes in nurse transition to practice programs at study sites located in Illinois, Ohio and North Carolina.

Phase II is the continuation of the NCSBN Transition to Practice Study, which launched in January 2011. At that time three states were chosen to participate in this ground breaking, innovative study: Illinois, Ohio and North Carolina. Phase I, which is currently in progress and runs through Dec. 31, 2012, follows newly licensed RNs hired to work in hospital settings during their first year of employment.

Phase II will begin April 1, 2012 and end Sept. 30, 2013. The primary objective of Phase II is to determine whether newly licensed nurses' participation in NCSBN's Transition to Practice Model improves patient safety, leads to higher quality outcomes and improves nurse retention in health care settings other than hospitals.

Each Phase II study site will be randomized to either an intervention group or a control group. The control group will use its usual practice of transitioning new nurses to practice. The intervention group will follow NCSBN's Transition to Practice Model, where the newly licensed nurses will successfully complete five interactive, online modules within their first three months of employment. These modules, which include patient-centered care, communication and teamwork, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and informatics, are designed to integrate experiential and active learning, and will not incorporate relearning of content that the new nurses have already learned in their nursing programs.

In addition to the modules, newly hired nurses will be assigned a preceptor who will work with them during their first six months of employment. The preceptor will be required to complete NCSBN's online preceptor training module. During the final six months of their involvement in the study, the newly hired nurses will receive institutional support. This may include being invited to serve on committees that look at the root cause of an error or creating procedures that allow the new nurse to be given continuous feedback and evaluation. By providing institutional support, nurses are encouraged to reflect upon the care they have provided and to suggest quality improvements.

Non-acute care facilities interested in applying to participate in Phase II of the NCSBN Transition to Practice Study must submit an application by Sept. 1, 2011. For more information or to obtain an application, contact the state coordinators.