Ms. McPhee has served as the nurse residency program (NRP) coordinator at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics (UWHC) since 2006. She has worked in nursing professional development (NPD) for 15 years, has a passion for working with new graduate nurses, is a member of the Association for Nursing Professional Development, and is certified in NPD. She understands the needs of new graduate nurses, advocates for them, and provides support throughout their journey. She has been a preceptor for several NRP alumni who are now in graduate school pursuing advanced nursing degrees. She completed training and currently serves as a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation evaluator for NRPs.

1. What are the significant professional milestones in your career journey?

KM: The three milestones that immediately come to mind are:

* Becoming certified in NPD: This demonstrates my commitment to ongoing professional development for me and others.

* Being asked by the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) to train other NRP coordinators using the UHC/American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) NRP curriculum: It is a privilege to share my experiences with others in support of new graduate nurses.

* Achieving CCNE accreditation of the UWHC NRP in 2011: Accreditation validates UWHC's commitment to new graduate nurses.

2. How have you seen the specialty of NPD grow/evolve/change during your career?

KM: For the past 9 years, my specialty area in NPD has been working with nurse residents. With the Institute of Medicine (2010) report recommendation for new graduate nurses to begin their careers in NRPs, there has been tremendous growth in this area. The number of organizations offering NRPs is growing. Research and literature exploring NRP outcomes are being disseminated, and CCNE accreditation standards are guiding development and stimulating continuous quality improvement in NRPs.

3. What do you see as significant trends or gaps in NPD practice from your perspective as an expert in nurse residency program?

KM: Demonstrating the attainment of NPD outcomes is a challenge-how do we show that what we do makes a difference? As we plan NPD opportunities, we need to consider measuring effectiveness of the education and the impact on the learner and organization. It is not enough to simply evaluate the learners' satisfaction. We need to see changes in behavior and articulate how NPD provides value to the organization.

4. What are the benefits of accreditation?

KM: As the number of NRPs increases, it becomes more difficult to identify which ones are of the highest quality and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to new graduates. The CCNE accreditation process is available to all programs regardless of the curriculum model they use. It allows organizations to demonstrate high-quality outcomes, distinguish themselves as top performers, and showcase creative, organization-specific ways to roll out the program.

CCNE's rigorous accreditation process provides NRPs an opportunity to reflect on how the program is meeting nationally accepted standards, review program-specific outcomes, and identify areas of improvement. The CCNE standards require an academic-practice partnership that strengthens the understanding of how new nurses are prepared academically, and how they are applying that knowledge to practice. The CCNE on-site evaluation provides an opportunity to showcase your program and have peer reviewers evaluate your program objectively. CCNE accreditation signifies that a program has met the highest standards, and this recognition has been a successful recruitment tool for us.

5. What advice do you have for NPD practitioners in the context of today's healthcare and learning environments?

KM: We will always need new graduate nurses in health care. It is important to understand their needs and to create a program to support their transition to practice. Pursuing accreditation provides an ongoing program evaluation platform and, upon receipt of accreditation, helps ensure that new graduate nurses are receiving a quality transition experience. The CCNE accreditation process provides a structure for program administrators to maintain the integrity of the program while allowing programs the creativity and flexibility to meet the standards in innovative ways. Accreditation recognizes high-quality NRPs that will support the practice of new graduate nurses in the best ways possible. CCNE accreditation has heightened awareness about our NRP in our community, regionally, and nationally.

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