The Emory Critical Care Center's Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Physician Assistant (PA) Residency Program has recently been accredited as a Practice Transition Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation. Emory is the first advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) program in the U.S. to achieve this accreditation from the ANCC.
 
The ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation validates hospital residency or fellowship programs that transition registered nurses (RNs) and APRNs into new practice settings that meet rigorous, evidence-based standards for quality and excellence. Whether graduating from academia to clinical practice, returning to the field, or transitioning between clinical settings, RNs and APRNs who successfully complete ANCC-accredited transition programs gain the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors to deliver safe, quality care.
 
"This is the first Advanced Practice Provider program accredited by the ANCC, which is truly significant in light of the growing role of Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)," says Susan Grant, MS, RN, FAAN, chief nursing executive at Emory Healthcare. "Training in specialized areas for APPs is critical as they assume greater responsibilities in patient care that augment the physician provider models. These types of training residencies are an important component in developing new models of care for the future."
 
The Emory Critical Care Center NP/PA Residency Program attracts new graduates each year, all seeking a structured educational program in order to become experts and leaders in their field. For one year, NPs are trained alongside PAs to become highly skilled in taking care of patients in the intensive care unit. The comprehensive competency-based curriculum allows residents to experience hands-on learning in the clinical setting.
 
"We are honored to receive this accreditation from the ANCC and proud to be recognized as one of the highest quality transition programs for nurses in the country," says Heather Meissen, ACNP-BC, CCRN, director of Emory's Critical Care Center Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant Program. "This accreditation gives nurse residents and fellows assurance that Emory Healthcare offers an elevated transition program with a clear course of instruction and reliable evaluation methods."
 
The ANCC accreditation will last for three years, then Emory must apply again for reaccreditation.