2020: The Year in Review.

When we look back on 2020, it is hard not to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected everything from nursing practice to world politics. Along with those challenges, there has been tremendous opportunity for nursing professional development change and growth. 2020 brought several key issues into play related to nursing continuing professional development. This article highlights many of these important issues. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020;51(12):537-540.].

2021: The Year in Review.

This year was a challenge in so many ways! Yet, it offered nursing professional development practitioners opportunities to think creatively and collaboratively while implementing new and better ways of delivering education and professional development. This column looks at some of the more notable events of 2021 and how they impacted education and professional development. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(12):545-548.].

Versant's Nurse Residency Program: A Retrospective Review

While a few predictions report an excess of registered nurses (RNs) in some areas (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2017), others state there would be a national shortage of 300,000 to 1 million RNs in 2020 (Juraschek et al., 2019). With the rapid increase in the complexity of healthcare systems, patient acuity, and challenges in NGN preparation, a designated time of transition to professional practice is critical for the NGN, the organization, and patient safety. A 5-year research study supported by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing provided evidence that a well-structured nurse residency program (NRP) can "improve quality and safety practices in new graduate nurses and increase job satisfaction, reduce work stress, and decrease turnover" (Spector et al., 2015. Through a continuous program improvement process utilizing evaluations, data analysis, environmental scanning, and monitoring of national trends, Versant has developed the next generation of its NRP.

Best of the 2021 ANCC PTAP Symposium: Create, Cultivate, Celebrate.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP) sponsors an annual symposium for participants to share in best practices across the globe. Due to COVID-19, the 2021 symposium was held virtually. With close to 700 participants, the ANCC PTAP team was challenged to provide an engaging virtual conference. This column speaks to the success of the symposium based on creating, cultivating, and celebrating best practices. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(8):352-354.].

Moving Forward Together: What Hope, Efficacy, Optimism, and Resilience Tell Us About Generation Z.

Generation Z is entering the workforce, requiring nursing professional development (NPD) practitioners to consider their unique characteristics when planning ongoing professional learning. They are also entering the profession at a time when concerns for well-being and resilience are at an all-time high. This article compares psychological capital scores between generational cohorts and provides strategies for the NPD practitioner with the development and education of Generation Z nurses. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(4):160-162.].

Rapid Validation of Clinical Competencies in a Time of Crisis.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has tasked health care organizations at all levels to respond to critical issues such as procuring personal protective equipment, initiating safety policies and procedures, and rethinking staffing needs. This article describes a program that was designed to focus on rapid competency validation for organizations who had to dial up staffing to meet the immediate demands of the health care crisis.

COVID-19: Perspectives From Nurses Across the Country.

The COVID-19 pandemic that is sweeping across the globe has impacted all health care professionals in multiple ways. This article surveyed a cross-section of the nursing profession from across the United States from the ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program® and ANCC Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Program. The article summarizes how they responded to the pandemic, addressed challenges, and learned valuable lessons. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020;51(7):304-308.].