Trinity Health System is proud to announce that its Nurse Residency Program has been awarded the Practice Transition Accreditation Program® (PTAP) designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This prestigious accreditation distinguishes Trinity Health System as a leader in nursing excellence, marking it as the first and only program in the Tri-State area to achieve this global standard.

The ANCC PTAP accreditation is the highest seal of approval for nurse residency programs.

It validates that Trinity Health System provides a rigorous, evidence-based environment that supports new graduate nurses as they transition from the classroom to clinical practice.

By meeting these national standards, Trinity Health System ensures that its nursing staff is equipped with the tools, mentorship, and clinical competency necessary to provide the highest quality of care to the community.

Out of thousands of healthcare facilities across the country, Trinity Health System is one of only 319 programs nationwide to earn this distinction.

“Meeting the high standards of an accrediting agency offers the new graduates the support that is needed during their first year as a registered nurse, resulting in the elevation of nursing practice within our ministry,” Donna Kiaski, BLA, RN, Nurse Residency Program Coordinator, said.

On Wednesday, February 25, we held a celebration in the Main Lobby of Trinity Medical Center West to honor our Nurse Residency Program.

Our thanks to the Herald-Star and reporter Linda Harris for covering this milestone. Here’s an excerpt from the article, along with a link to the full report:

Trinity Health System’s Nurse Residency Program celebrated an achievement officials say no one else in the Tri-State Area has accomplished–earning the Practice Transition Accreditation Program designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

The PTAC accreditation was announced during a reception Wednesday “celebrating the accomplishments of our RN residents,” Rhonda Hatfield, Trinity’s chief nursing officer, said.

Hatfield said the designation is “a very big deal,” reporting only 319 nursing residency programs in the country have earned it. Trinity is No. 312.

She said the residency program pairs new nursing graduates with less than a year on the job with a preceptor — a mentor who works with that person one-on-one for a year, supervising and evaluating their performance and helping them make the transition from student to working professional. Participation is mandatory.

You can read this article in its entirety by clicking here.

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Photo courtesy of the Herald-Star. Caption: Trinity Health System celebrated its nurse resident program’s Practice Transition Accreditation Program’s accreditation, a distinction given to only 319 programs nationwide. Taking part in Wednesday’s festivities were, from left, Chief Nursing Officer Rhonda Hatfield; Residency Coordinator Kristen Fisher; Residential Educator Donna Kiaski; Common Spirit’s SE Regional Director of Residency Winifred Stump; and Melissa Hassan, dean of Trinity’s School of Nursing. — Linda Harris