A Dedicated Education Unit and a Novel Resident Nurse Transition-to-Practice Program in an Ambulatory Oncology Setting.

Objective: To summarize an innovative initiative in oncology nurse workforce development that addresses critical current and future gaps and encompasses use of dedicated education units for student nurse rotation and a transition-to-practice residency program.

Data Sources: Review of institutional data including original pilot analysis and ongoing programmatic metrics (N=8 years), consensus, professional guidelines, and published literature.

Conclusion: The dedicated education unit serves as a conduit for recruitment into institutional oncology nurse residency positions, and retention rates in the residency program continue to exceed national averages.

From Student to Practicing Oncology Nurse: A Novel Collaboration to Create a Transition to Practice Program in Ambulatory Cancer Care.

Background: Healthcare reform and the shift of care to the ambulatory setting has created challenges for preparing nurses to practice in these complex clinical settings. Oncology is an area where dramatic transitions to ambulatory care have occurred, and the ambulatory oncology setting holds great potential for teaching evidence-based care to nursing students.

Objectives: The article summarizes the collaboration between a baccalaureate nursing program and a cancer clinic to establish a dedicated education unit (DEU).