Building joint commission continuous readiness in partnership with nursing students

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Education
• Accreditation Compliance

Background:

• Academic medical centers and nursing colleges can collaborate to improve healthcare quality and operational readiness.
• The Joint Commission accreditation is crucial for healthcare organizations, requiring continuous preparedness.
• Nursing leadership programs offer opportunities to integrate practical, regulatory training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a partnership between an academic medical center and a college of nursing for Joint Commission readiness.
• To assess the impact of simulated surveys on nursing students' understanding of accreditation principles.
• To determine the benefits of this collaboration for both the medical center and nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a collaborative program between a medical center and a nursing college.
• Integrated simulated Joint Commission surveys into a nursing leadership and management course.
• Collected feedback from the medical center regarding survey readiness and new graduate preparedness.

Main Results:

• The partnership proved mutually beneficial for continuous Joint Commission readiness.
• Nursing students acquired practical knowledge of regulatory compliance and accreditation processes.
• The medical center received ongoing feedback, enhancing its survey preparedness and graduate nurse fluency.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative programs between academic medical centers and nursing colleges are effective for achieving and maintaining Joint Commission readiness.
• Simulated surveys in nursing curricula provide valuable experiential learning for future healthcare professionals.
• This model fosters a pipeline of better-prepared graduates, benefiting healthcare institutions.