The Nurse Professional: Leveraging Your Education for Transition Into Practice

by Deborah Dolan Hunt PhD, RN

Overview

“Nursing school did not adequately prepare me for this role” and “Why didn’t anyone tell me about this when I was a student?” are commonly heard complaints from new nurses during their first two “rite of passage” years following graduation. But this transition to professional practice—fraught with challenges, anxiety, triumphs, and tears—does not have to be so difficult. The Nurse Professional helps novices prepare for their transition into a “real world” role from being a student through graduation, NCLEX success, job search, first job, and beyond. It is the only book to cover all of the steps that new nurses must take to ensure a smooth transition into the professional role.

The author is a nurse educator and mentor with extensive experience in recruiting and orienting nurses. Dr. Hunt is also co-founder of the Nurse Advocacy Forum, providing advocacy, support, networking, professional development, leadership, and mentoring to students and new graduate nurses. She offers sound advice regarding the most current issues facing new nurses and practical strategies for obtaining a job of one’s choice, describes steps to take well before graduation to ensure a smooth transition to professional practice, and addresses the various indicators of academic achievement that are required for employment at some nursing facilities. She also discusses the benefits of externships, internships, professional development, and networking, how to develop a winning portfolio, and how to successfully transition into professional practice. This book provides information on workplace bullying and how to deal with it; the importance of self-care, self-advocacy, and networking; writing a résumé; interview skills; and much more. “Top 10 Tips” in each chapter concisely highlight important topics. Samples of useful forms and documents are available in chapter appendices. A PowerPoint presentation and templates for role play/simulation scenarios for faculty use are also available.

Key Features:

• “Top 10 Tips” in chapters concisely highlight important topics

• Samples of useful forms and documents are available in chapter appendices

• Delivers specific, practical strategies and exercises for a successful transition and entry into practice

• Written by an experienced nurse/educator and nurse mentor who has extensive experience regarding how new nurses transition into practice

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826168788
Publisher:	Springer Publishing Company
Publication date:	10/24/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	836 KB

About the Author

Deborah Dolan Hunt, PhD, RN, is a Professor and Associate Dean of Nursing. She is also a Professor Emerita from The College of New Rochelle, and a Fellow in the New York Academy of Medicine. She is thrilled to be publishing this book and has published three prior books with Springer Publishers; The New Nurse Educator: Mastering Academe, The Nurse Professional: Leveraging Your Education for Transition into Practice, and Fast Facts About Nursing Practice: Historical Facts in a Nutshell. She is on the editorial board of DailyNurse.com. and serves on the Personalized Medicine Coalition Advisory Panel and a guest editor for Frontiers. She is an Ambassador and Reviewer with PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) and serves as Co-Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee at Community Board #10 where she spearheaded a healthy lifestyle initiative. She is currently serving as Co-Chair of the Talent Acquisition Committee at the Westchester County Association. She was the PI of the HRSA grant at CNR and facilitated its transfer to Mercy College and is currently serving as one of the Activity Directors for the Title V Access grants. Her research interests are in leadership, patient outcomes, new nurse transition, and mentoring.

Deborah was the Interim Dean at The College of New Rochelle and led the transition of the nursing program to Mercy College. She is an alum of both The College of New Rochelle and Mercy College which shared a similar mission. Mercy College has welcomed her and the former students, faculty, staff, and administrators with welcoming arms and she appreciates the collegiality and commitment to service and excellence at all levels.

In addition to academic writing, Deborah also publishes children's books, and the 2nd edition of her self-care book "Essential Oils, Teas, and Self-Care" will be released in 2022.

Table of Contents

"

Foreword Afaf I. Meleis, PhD, DrPS (hon), FAAN

Preface

Acknowledgments

PART I: FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESS

  1.   Introduction and Overview—World of Professional Nursing

  2.   Academic Foundations for Your Future Role

  3.   Self-Care, Advocacy, and Resiliency

  4.   Portfolio Development

  5.   Quality and Safety Issues

  6.   Legal, Moral, and Ethical Issues

PART II: THE PATH FROM GRADUATION TO NCLEX SUCCESS AND FIRST NURSING POSITION

  7.   The Path to NCLEX Success

  8.   Strategies for Securing Your First Position

PART III: TRANSITION INTO PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

  9.   Role of the Graduate Nurse

10.   Strategies for Successful Transition

11.   Clinical Practice

12.   Delegation

13.   Leadership Development

14.   Issues and Solutions in Your New Role

15.   Violence and Bullying in the Workplace

16.   Journaling

PART IV: ROLE DEVELOPMENT: FROM ADVANCED PRACTITIONER AND BEYOND

17.   Networking and Professional Development

18.   Understanding Various Health Care Agencies/Accrediting Bodies

19.   Future Roles, Advanced Education, Advanced Practice Certifications, and Continuing Education

20.   Developing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals and Objectives

Index

"

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Kathy M Forrest, MSN, MA, BSN (Michigan State University College of Nursing)
Description: Derived from her decades of experience mentoring nursing students and new graduates, the author offers strategies for new nurses' successful transition to clinical practice.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide strategies and tools for graduate nurses to transition effectively into professional clinical practice, leveraging their academic preparation. It addresses the challenges and the support and knowledge helpful for making the transition to practice, with the goal of retaining nurses in the profession. Because of the high prevalence of new nurse turnover, the objectives to provide strategies to retain professional nurses are timely and appreciated.
Audience: The audience is students in nursing programs. The book could be useful for nursing educators as a platform to address specific issues, challenges, and strategies in more depth.
Features: The book is structured in four parts: foundations for success; the path from graduation to NCLEX success and first nursing position; transition into professional practice; and role development for advanced practitioner and beyond. Each chapter begins with a quote and objectives to guide readers. Subheadings, tables, exemplars, appendixes, and figures emphasize content. After each chapter, a summary, discussion questions, suggested learning activities and references guide student learning and could be useful to educators for developing content in more depth. No website resources are included with this book for students or educators. However, the preface provides an email address for qualified instructors to inquire about materials from the publisher.
Assessment: This is a useful resource for nursing students as a guide to navigating nursing education, successfully entering clinical practice, and advancing as a nursing professional. Nursing educators may expand on concepts from this book in classroom and clinical contexts to support students' successful transition to active clinical practice.

Doody's Review Service

Description: Derived from her decades of experience mentoring nursing students and new graduates, the author offers strategies for new nurses' successful transition to clinical practice.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide strategies and tools for graduate nurses to transition effectively into professional clinical practice, leveraging their academic preparation. It addresses the challenges and the support and knowledge helpful for making the transition to practice, with the goal of retaining nurses in the profession. Because of the high prevalence of new nurse turnover, the objectives to provide strategies to retain professional nurses are timely and appreciated.

Audience: The audience is students in nursing programs. The book could be useful for nursing educators as a platform to address specific issues, challenges, and strategies in more depth.

Features: The book is structured in four parts: foundations for success; the path from graduation to NCLEX success and first nursing position; transition into professional practice; and role development for advanced practitioner and beyond. Each chapter begins with a quote and objectives to guide readers. Subheadings, tables, exemplars, appendixes, and figures emphasize content. After each chapter, a summary, discussion questions, suggested learning activities and references guide student learning and could be useful to educators for developing content in more depth. No website resources are included with this book for students or educators. However, the preface provides an email address for qualified instructors to inquire about materials from the publisher.

Assessment: This is a useful resource for nursing students as a guide to navigating nursing education, successfully entering clinical practice, and advancing as a nursing professional. Nursing educators may expand on concepts from this book in classroom and clinical contexts to support students' successful transition to active clinical practice.--Kathy M. Forrest, MSN, MA, BSN "Doody's Review Service"

From the Publisher