Publication Date
Spring 2025
Document Type
Capstone Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Shirley Spencer
Second Advisor
Patricia Martin
Third Advisor
Sandra Karim
Abstract
Problem Statement:
Post-pandemic nurse graduates experienced difficulty transition to professional practice due to limited focus on soft skills acquisition in pre-licensure nursing curricula.
Background:
Faculty characterized graduates as underprepared for professional practice, stating concerns affecting retention, patient outcomes, and work satisfaction.
Aim:
The quality improvement project goal was to address the transition to practice readiness by providing soft skills education to associate degree students.
Theoretical Framework:
This project applied Benner's Novice-to-Expert MOdel and Duchscher's Stages of Transition.
Methods:
Utilizing a mixed methods approach, March-April 2024, a sample size of 28 participants completed both pre- and post-Casey-Fink Readiness for Practice Surveys (CFRPS), and ten Likert-style surveys. Two COVID-19 era graduates were also interviewed. Inclusion was limited to 2020 to 2022 graduates and current students through May 2025.
Outcomes:
Participants demonstrated a change in readiness for transition to practice in three of twenty areas.
Conclusion:
This project provides a guide to provide soft skills education to improve nursing transition to practice readiness.
Recommended Citation
Crosby-Martin, Torri, "Design and Implementation of an Evidence-Based Pilot Program to Support New Graduate Nurses' Transition to Professional Practice: Application of Soft Skills Education in an Associate Degree Program" (2025). All Capstone Projects. 699.
https://opus.govst.edu/capstones/699