Novice nurses often experience cognitive dissonance when their academic training clashes with the realities of clinical practice, leading to confusion and reduced confidence. Nursing Professional Development practitioners can bridge this gap through structured support programs, realistic simulations, and compassionate mentorship. These strategies help align theory with practice, fostering professional growth and improving patient care.

In our most recent Specialty Spotlight, Jacqueline Dolatowski, MSN, RN, CPN, NPD-BC, shares about her work as a system nursing professional development specialist, supporting 42,000 nurses across six states.

When MultiCare Health System launched a structured transition-to-practice program to support internationally educated nurses (IENs) entering U.S. acute care settings, they used a tiered skill precepting model to boost confidence, competency, and readiness. This approach not only reduced onboarding time and improved staff retention but also led to significant cost savings and high satisfaction among leaders and IENs alike.