The academic-practice gap has been described in the literature for years. Poorly implemented transition to practice can negatively impact patient outcomes, newly graduated nurses, and the nursing profession. Abbreviated prelicensure clinical experiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated the academic-practice gap’s impact on new nurse confidence, competence, safety, and retention. This integrative literature review aimed to identify best practices for developing and implementing a standardized new graduate nurse orientation program in the critical care setting that addresses and supports the transition from student to practitioner in an era of reduced hands-on clinical experiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence shows that interventions focused on improving the transition period for newly graduated nurses were beneficial and can positively impact new graduate nurses’ confidence, competence, and retention, as well as patient safety and care quality. A synthesis of the literature revealed common themes in successful transition to practice programs include the presence of a designated resource person/preceptor, structured orientation, nurse residency, clearly defined and routinely measured core competencies, and simulation exercises.

" This is the first research-based book to confront workplace issues facing nurses who have disabilities. It not only examines in depth their experiences, roadblocks to successful employment, and misperceptions surrounding them, but also provides viable solutions for creating positive attitudes towards them and a welcoming work environment that fosters hiring and retention. From the perspectives and actual voices of nurses with disabilities, nurse leaders, nurse administrators, and patients, the book identifies nurses with disabilities (including sensory, musculoskeletal, emotional, and mental health issues), discusses why they choose to leave nursing or hide their disabilities, and analyzes how their disabilities may influence career choices. "

During clinical practice the author of this research paper has become aware of declining nurse retention rates amongst new graduate nurses in critical care areas. This can be attributed to a lack of support received by the new graduate nurse. The nursing shortage has burdened many hospitals with poor staffing and decreasing job satisfaction, ultimately leading to decreased retention rates. A question to be asked is, for new graduate nurses in the critical care setting, will participation in a nurse residency program as opposed to the traditional 6 week orientation, increase retention? By organizations implementing new graduate nurse training programs, many hospitals have seen retention rates rise. Implementation of a new graduate training or mentorship program will increase new graduate nurse retention; thus increase overall staffing. Due to a lack of experienced nurses applying to specialty areas, hiring new graduates and training them allows for experience to be built. The following paper will discuss how the implementation of new graduate nurse training/mentorship programs will help to increase the rate of nurse retention. The implementation of mentorship programs is an essential element that health care institutions employ to retain nurses who have graduated nursing school and have obtained licensure (Chen, and Lou, 2014). By understanding how the effectiveness of these mentorship programs work, the retention rate for these nurses can be improved (Chen, and Lou 2014).

Critical Care Nursing Practice Guide: A Road Map for Students and New Graduates is an essential, step-by-step, practical guide that helps new nursing graduates, new critical care and nursing students assigned to intensive care units gain the confidence they need to provide optimal care to their patients. This comprehensive text teaches inexperienced nurses how to systematically assess their patients, plan individualized care, implement therapeutic modalities with competence, collaborate effectively and evaluate the effectiveness of nursing actions. Covering areas such as how to begin, organize, prioritize, analyze, reason, and decide in daily routines and emergencies in the critical care setting, this book enables the novice to become an expert in the ICU. Valuable features such as chapter objectives, summaries, and key terms are included.

The decade ahead will test the nation's nearly 4 million nurses in new and complex ways. Nurses live and work at the intersection of health, education, and communities. Nurses work in a wide array of settings and practice at a range of professional levels. They are often the first and most frequent line of contact with people of all backgrounds and experiences seeking care and they represent the largest of the health care professions. A nation cannot fully thrive until everyone - no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they make - can live their healthiest possible life, and helping people live their healthiest life is and has always been the essential role of nurses. Nurses have a critical role to play in achieving the goal of health equity, but they need robust education, supportive work environments, and autonomy. Accordingly, at the request of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, on behalf of the National Academy of Medicine, an ad hoc committee under the auspices of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conducted a study aimed at envisioning and charting a path forward for the nursing profession to help reduce inequities in people's ability to achieve their full health potential. The ultimate goal is the achievement of health equity in the United States built on strengthened nursing capacity and expertise. By leveraging these attributes, nursing will help to create and contribute comprehensively to equitable public health and health care systems that are designed to work for everyone. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity explores how nurses can work to reduce health disparities and promote equity, while keeping costs at bay, utilizing technology, and maintaining patient and family-focused care into 2030. This work builds on the foundation set out by The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2011) report.

AACN Scope and Standards for Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practice describes and measures the expected level of practice and professional performance for acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs), incorporating advances in scientific knowledge, clinical practice, technology and other changes in the dynamic healthcare environment. It offers a practical tool for students, educators and advanced practice nurses caring for high acuity or critically ill patients and their families in every setting.

In this issue of Critical Care Nursing Clinics, guest editors Sharon C. O'Donoghue and Justin H. DiLibero bring their considerable expertise to the topic of Moving Forward in Critical Care Nursing: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic brought considerable pressure on nurses worldwide, and many new opportunities have occurred to help ease the burden and move forward. In this issue, top experts examine the changes the pandemic has ushered in and look to the future of making improvements for critical care nurses, covering topics like health inequities, healthy work environments, nursing management, and patient safety. Contains 12 relevant, practice-oriented topics including supporting and retaining nurses in trying times; nurse leadership and healthy work environments; what the pandemic taught us about clinical documentation and quality of care; health equities with limited English proficiency; Long COVID, critical illness, and recovery; nursing education post-COVID; and more. Provides in-depth clinical reviews on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, offering actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews.