Abstract
Background: Little is known about how nurses are prepared to participate or lead teams in conducting safe and effective care transitions, despite being a complex process in which the nurse has an integral role. Purpose: To conduct mapping review to identify and synthesize key recommendations regarding curriculum content needed to increase Clinical Nurse Leader and Nurse Educator student knowledge and skills regarding transitional care. Method: Guidelines for developing the transitional care nurse role published by national accrediting bodies and certification organizations were reviewed to identify the required competencies. Findings: Components identified included: communication; teamwork and collaboration; education and engagement of patient and family; promoting and support for self-management; and assessing/ managing risks/symptoms. Conclusion: Research evidence is needed to support academic preparation of nurses as leaders in care transition. The core transitional components identified can be used to develop competencies to assist training efforts of nurses in practice and educational settings.
•Although, it is recommended that nurses have a conceptual and practical foundation in the provision of transitional care, little is known about how nurses are prepared to participate or lead teams in conducting safe and effective care transitions.•There is an increased need to have master's prepared nurses with advanced knowledge and skills in transitional care to train future nurses in this role.•Research evidence is needed to support academic preparation of Clinical Nurse Leaders and Nurse Educators as leaders in care transition, and grant funding should be made available from organizations concerned with health care quality to support such research.