A Professional Nursing Acute Care Practice Curriculum.

Caring for multiple complex patients simultaneously is 1 of the biggest challenges for clinical nurses (CNs) in acute care. We utilized the results of research to develop a 6-hour Professional Nursing Practice Curriculum (PNPC) specifically for CNs who are professionally and legally responsible for providing holistic care to an assigned group of patients on inpatient clinical units in acute care hospitals. The curriculum can be used by faculty to prepare senior nursing students for their 1st professional practice role in an acute care setting. Components of the PNPC will be beneficial for nurse leaders in an assessment of their educational practices for transitioning newly licensed RNs to practice and addressing professional development needs of CNs.