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In 2004, the CCNE Board appointed a task force to develop accreditation standards for the post-baccalaureate nurse residency programs following the curriculum that was developed through a partnership of the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The UHC/AACN Nurse Residency Program is based on AACN’s The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (1998). CCNE sought public comment on its proposed accreditation standards, and the Standards for Accreditation of Post-Baccalaureate Nurse Residency Programs was approved by the CCNE Board of Commissioners in April 2008. Policies and procedures for the accreditation of nurse residency programs were adopted, following public comment, in April 2009. The first on-site evaluations of residency programs will be conducted in Fall 2009. CCNE’s Residency Accreditation Committee will serve as the primary review body for nurse residency programs seeking initial or continuing accreditation from CCNE and will advise the Board of Commissioners on related matters.
In March 2008, results of the evaluation process for the AACN/UHC residency program were presented. The results of the evaluation were extremely positive. The turnover rate for institutions with post-baccalaureate nurse residency programs declined (improved) from 13% in 2005 to 9.7% in 2006 to 5.7% in 2007. These data compare very favorably with the 2007 data from PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute report that voluntary turnover for first-year nurses was 27.1%. Higher retention rates are known to result in significant financial benefits. Outcome data also demonstrate resident improvement in confidence, competence, ability to organize and prioritize, communication, leadership, and a reduction in stress levels. This level of evidence clearly supports that nurse residency programs facilitate the successful integration of new graduates in the work environment.
Accreditation is a central element of the requirements for reimbursement by the Medicare regulations. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funds only residency programs that are nationally accredited. It is possible that CMS will approve nurse residency programs as a reimbursable element on the provider cost sheet. The UHC and non-UHC sites also have asked for accreditation to help ensure the integrity of the residency program and to provide a distinguished stamp of quality that differentiates them from the multiple look-alike programs that have emerged as a result of baccalaureate graduates’ response to the residencies.
Questions? Contact Benjamin Murray, Assistant Director, at
bmurray@aacn.nche.edu
or 202-887-6791 x275.
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