Transitions in Practice: Med/Surg Nurse Training

Course Overview
Transitioning into medical-surgical nursing can feel both exciting and demanding. Med/surg requires nurses to care for multiple patients, recognize subtle changes in condition, coordinate across disciplines, and make sound clinical decisions in a fast-paced environment. This course, Transitions in Practice: Med/Surg Nurse Training, is designed to bridge the gap between academic preparation and the realities of the medical-surgical unit.

Participants will explore the core competencies required for safe and effective med/surg practice, including systematic patient assessment, clinical prioritization and delegation, recognition of physiologic deterioration, medication management, and professional communication with interdisciplinary teams. Using case-based scenarios and reflective learning strategies, learners will build the situational awareness and critical thinking skills needed to function confidently and competently at the bedside.

This activity is appropriate for newly licensed registered nurses entering medical-surgical practice and experienced nurses transitioning to a new med/surg setting. Upon completion, participants will be equipped with evidence-based knowledge and practical frameworks to narrow the professional practice gap between entry-level preparation and the performance standards expected of the independent med/surg nurse.

Learning Outcomes 
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:

• Identify the priority nursing assessments and interventions required?when caring for multiple patients on a medical-surgical unit, applying systematic frameworks to triage patient needs according to acuity.
• Recognize early signs of physiologic deterioration in the medical-surgical patient and articulate the appropriate escelation response using established rapid response protocols.
• Apply delegation principles and safe medication administration practices within the scope of practice of the registered nurse in a medical-surgical setting.
• Explain evidence-based communication strategies—including SBAR and closed-loop communication—for effective interdisciplinary collaboration and handoff reporting on the medical-surgical unit

About the Author/Presenter 
Shirley Aycock, DNP, RN, is a Registered Nurse and healthcare leader with extensive experience advancing clinical excellence, operational performance, and professional development across acute care and continuing education settings. Her leadership background spans medical-surgical service line management, learning operations oversight, emergency care leadership, and healthcare content strategy. Most recently in clinical operations leadership, she served as Director of Nursing at Hospitality Health Emergency Room, where she provided strategic and operational leadership for a freestanding ER averaging more than 70,000 patient visits annually. Her work centered on elevating clinical quality, strengthening the patient experience, developing the nursing workforce, and ensuring safe, efficient emergency care delivery. 

Shirley holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Rush University, an MSN in Nursing Administration from the University of Texas at Tyler, and a BSN from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is passionate about building strong teams, elevating nursing practice, and driving continuous improvement throughout healthcare systems through both clinical leadership and transformative education. 

Audience/Accreditations and Approvals 
TRC Healthcare/ NetCE 
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by TRC Healthcare/ NetCE. TRC Healthcare/NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. 
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details): 
Nursing

If you require special accommodations, please contact Colibri Healthcare Support by clicking here: Contact Us