Enrollment has opened for nurses who want to be part of the second cohort to train in Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association's transition to practice program, the organization announced June 25.
The transition to practice for new clinicians was ranked as the top safety challenge hospitals and health systems will face in 2024, according to ECRI's 2024 annual report on patient safety, which was published in March. The need was largely prompted by COVID-19, which forced support and training for new nurses to become virtual.
Arizona's Transition to Practice Program for nurses launched its first cohort last year and in March celebrated the culmination of the year-long curriculum with 30 new graduate nurses, 39 preceptors, and 11 mentors.
The upcoming cohort currently consists of 40 new graduate nurses, 38 preceptors, and nine mentors, according to the state's hospital association.
"We’re excited to launch our second cohort, which expands our pool of new graduate nurses with a focus on critical access and rural areas of Arizona where they need this support the most," Karen Ofafa, BSN, RN, director of the Transition to Practice Program at AHHA said in the release.
Right now, the program partners with 10 participating hospital and health system facilities and aims to add more in the coming year.
From the initial cohort, Kristin Grimes, MSN, RN, an assistant nurse manager at Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, noted that graduates of the program's initial cohort have already shown "increased knowledge, confidence and collaboration in the workplace."
The curriculum and training were developed by the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association. Applications to join the Transition to Practice Program's second cohort closes June 30. Eligible applicants will be selected to participate in the program, which will resume in September.