The Nurse Residency Program and Peri-Operative Fellowship Program at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health, have achieved Practice Transition Accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

The HSS Nurse Residency Program, established in 2008, is a leader in the field, with best practices for transitioning new nurses to the bedside while supporting professional development of nursing personnel. Preceptors successfully adapted the program to overcome unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The newly accredited HSS Peri-Operative Fellowship Program invites registered nurse (RN) fellows to work alongside experienced providers in the operating room as they transition between practice settings and rotate through different orthopedic services such as Total Arthroplasty, Spine, Sports, Trauma/Limb Lengthening, and Hand and Foot.

Nurses in accredited transition programs benefit from evidence-based curricula that promote the acquisition of knowledge, skills and professional behaviors necessary to deliver safe, high-quality care. Nursing residents and fellows are given the opportunity to work alongside experienced staff and learn in a real-life setting to be better prepared and more confident as they enter the workforce or transition practice settings. “The driving focus of our resident fellowship program is clinical and professional growth. HSS fosters an environment that encourages our residents to gain the skills needed to perform high-quality patient care, as well as to grow and advance professionally along the clinical ladder,” said Ingrid Herrera-Capoziello, DNP, NPD-BC, NE-BC, assistant vice president, Nursing Excellence & Professional Development at HSS. “We are proud of the work we have done and continue to do to guide nurses through this growth trajectory during a pivotal time in their careers.”

“The ANCC accreditation, an industry-leading certification for nursing excellence, signals HSS’s longstanding commitment to the nursing profession and individual career development,” said Paul Coyne, DNP, MBA, MS, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, senior vice president and Chief Nurse Executive at HSS. “The program provides a strong foundation for the novice nurse and we’re especially grateful to our outstanding nursing preceptors for their residency program leadership and mentorship. It is an honor and immense responsibility to develop the professional nurse of the future.”

The Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP)™ is a voluntary review process that validates hospital residency programs that prepare registered nurses for new practice settings and meet rigorous, evidence-based standards for quality and excellence. ANCC’s standards are a powerful international benchmark that allows organizations to self-assess and identify ways to strengthen their practice transition programs.

“Nursing is at the core of the excellence in patient care that has earned HSS global leadership,” said Bryan T. Kelly, MD, MBA, surgeon-in-chief and medical director at HSS. “This accreditation is a welcome validation of the unprecedented opportunity for nurses to realize their potential at HSS.”

The first hospital in New York City to receive the Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence from ANCC, HSS is also the first to be re-designated with this honor five consecutive times.

About ANCC

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA), provides individuals and organizations throughout the nursing profession with the resources they need to achieve practice excellence. ANCC's internationally renowned credentialing programs certify nurses in specialty practice areas; recognize healthcare organizations for promoting safe, positive work environments; and accredit providers and approvers of continuing nursing education. In addition, ANCC provides leading-edge information and education services and products to support its core credentialing programs. www.nursecredentialing.org.