Identifying Professional Goals and Promoting Career Development in Nursing Students Through Reflection and Simulation.

Career planning is an important but often neglected component of a nursing program curriculum. To increase retention and encourage professional advancement at the school of nursing of a large, public university in the Northeast, a virtual simulated career development day was established to provide students with the tools needed to navigate the job acquisition process and secure appropriate employment. Course outcomes and student feedback indicated that a successful transition to practice and advancement to higher levels of professional nursing can be promoted through the development of superior interviewing skills, a strong resume, and insight regarding one's professional goals and values.

Nursing First: Promoting Academic and Professional Success Through a Seamless Transition Program for Registered Nurses to Baccalaureate Students.

The Nursing First Program was established to provide students in an associate of science in nursing program at a downstate New York community college a seamless transition into the registered nurse to baccalaureate program of a nearby university while promoting academic performance and professional excellence. Selected students attend mandatory seminars designed to provide academic support and a sense of camaraderie, with the aim of ensuring success in both programs. Initial outcomes indicate that the program inspired participants to reach their highest potential, academically and professionally.

Working Together: Addressing Cultural Diversity, Patient Safety, and Quality Care Through an Interprofessional Health Care Course.

An interprofessional course was designed to augment the integration of practice and education in a large, public northeastern university. The schools of medicine, nursing, and social work, along with the associated hospital's quality assurance team, worked together to design curricula aimed at improving quality of care, communication, collaboration, and teamwork. Development and implementation of the elective course resulted in extended discussions among the schools, complementing the university's overall initiative to develop a formal interprofessional educational program.

Motivation for entry, occupational commitment and intent to remain: a survey regarding Registered Nurse retention.

Aim: This paper is a report of a study of the relationships between Registered Nurses' motivation for entering the profession, occupational commitment and intent to remain with an employer until retirement.

Background: Identifying and supporting nurses who are strongly committed to their profession may be the single most influential intervention in combating the nursing shortage. An understanding of the characteristics these individuals possess could lead to a decline in the high attrition rates plaguing the profession.