Exposing Baccalaureate Nursing Students to Transitional Care.
Management and facilitation of care transitions from hospital to alternative settings requires skill and attention to avoid adverse events. Several interprofessional organizations and nurse leaders have called for the expansion and redesign of undergraduate nursing curricula to include care transitions. Yet there is little evidence describing how undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students are educated on this critical topic or how successful they are in improving student knowledge about care transitions. To address this gap, an in-classroom and clinical experience was implemented to prepare students to manage and facilitate care transitions from the hospital to alternative settings-including the home. Perceptions of undergraduate nursing students and home healthcare nurse preceptors were assessed via an electronic survey that was emailed to participants. Forty-eight responses to the survey were received. Students agreed this experience contributed to their understanding of caring for adults and older adults who are experiencing a care transition and they had a good understanding of care transitions to apply to their future nursing courses. Home healthcare nurse preceptors agreed they were able to demonstrate transitional care and that students were engaged. Future work should include expanding transitional care immersion to other care settings as well as the inclusion of additional healthcare disciplines in care transition education.
Melissa O'Connor, PhD, MBA, RN, COS-C, is an Assistant Professor, Claire Fagin Fellow - National Hartford Center for Gerontological Nursing Excellence. She is Doyle Research Fellow, Center for Home Care Policy & Research - Visiting Nursing Service of New York, Villanova University, College of Nursing, Villanova, Pennsylvania. Angelina Arcamone, PhD, RN, CCE, is Assistant Dean and Director, Undergraduate Program and Clinical Assistant Professor, Villanova University, College of Nursing, Villanova, Pennsylvania. Frances Amorim, MSN, RN, CCE, is Coordinator for Clinical Education and Clinical Assistant Professor, Villanova University, College of Nursing, Villanova, Pennsylvania. Mary Beth Hoban, MSN, RN, is Staff Development Specialist, Main Line Health Home Care and Hospice, Radnor, Pennsylvania. Regina M. Boyd, RN-BC, is Home Health Case Manager, Main Line Health Home Care and Hospice, Radnor, Pennsylvania. Lauren Fowler, RN, is Home Health Case Manager, Main Line Health Home Care and Hospice, Radnor, Pennsylvania. Theresa Marcelli, BSN, RN-BC, is Home Health Case Manager, Main Line Health Home Care and Hospice, Radnor, Pennsylvania. Jacalyn Smith, BSN, RN, CMSRN, is Home Health Case Manager, Main Line Health Home Care and Hospice, Radnor, Pennsylvania. Kathleen Nassar, BSN, RN-BC, is Home Health Case Manager, Main Line Health Home Care and Hospice, Radnor, Pennsylvania. M. Louise Fitzpatrick, EdD, RN, FAAN, is Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor of Nursing, Villanova University, College of Nursing, Villanova, Pennsylvania.
Melissa
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OʼConnor
Angelina
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Arcamone
Frances
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Amorim
Mary Beth
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Hoban
Regina M
RM
Boyd
Lauren
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Fowler
Theresa
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Marcelli
Jacalyn
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Smith
Kathleen
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Nassar
M Louise
ML
Fitzpatrick
D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D064650:Home Health Nursing / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000069341:Transitional Care