ATI Nursing Education Launches Industry’s First Online Professional and Interpersonal Skills Education Product

LEAWOOD, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ATI Nursing Education, the leading provider of online nurse education programs, today announced the nationwide launch of Nurse’s Touch™, the industry’s first online education program focusing exclusively on developing professional and interpersonal skills in nurses.

“Today’s nursing professional is being asked to do much, much more than just administer treatment”

The Nurse’s Touch product line was developed in direct response to a significant industry need for stronger interpersonal -- or “soft” skills -- such as communications, technology, management, etc., among professional nurses. Earlier this year, ATI Nursing Education commissioned a nationwide survey of practicing nurses, nurse managers, and recent hospital inpatients and those accompanying them to gauge proficiency in these skills. The survey results demonstrated a significant gap between nurse skills, hiring demands and patient experience.

Specifically, nearly all (98 percent) of practicing nurses surveyed reported wanting more training in interpersonal skills. More than 80 percent of the nurse managers reported that they seek graduates with professional and interpersonal skills when hiring. This gap in interpersonal skills and education is also reflected in patient satisfaction, with 66 percent of inpatients or those accompanying them reflecting that their experiences could have been improved with better communication with nurses.

“Today’s nursing professional is being asked to do much, much more than just administer treatment,” said Sheryl Sommer, Ph, RN, and director of Nursing Education and Curriculum at ATI Nursing Education. “He or she is expected to work and communicate well with colleagues and patients, offer sound judgment, solve problems, and maneuver seamlessly through the world of electronic medical records and other technology facets. Clearly these aspects of the nursing role require a host of new skills, and Nurse’s Touch was developed in response to this dynamic environment.”

ATI Nursing Education’s Nurse’s Touch product line encompasses five key content areas – professional communication, wellness and self-care, becoming a professional nurse, nursing informatics and technology, and leadership and management – all areas which help develop interpersonal skills on the job. Like all ATI Nursing Education programs, the product suite uses the latest and most-effective learning tools, such as interactive simulators, tutorials, case studies and practice and proctored assessments.

Nurse’s Touch also allows educators to assess and track students’ progress. In addition to measuring student growth, this reporting information can provide supporting evidence in accreditation documentation.

For more information, please visit www.atinursestouch.com.

About ATI Nursing Education

ATI Nursing Education is the leading provider of online learning programs that are instrumental in improving faculty effectiveness and student and program outcomes in nursing schools across the country. Currently the company works with more than 20,000 nurse educators, approximately 2,100 colleges and universities nationwide, and more than 225,000 students. ATI Nursing Education has played a role in helping more than 1 million students pass the NCLEX, the U.S. nursing licensing exam. ATI Nursing Education is part of Ascend Learning. Founded in 2010, Ascend Learning provides technology-based educational, curriculum and assessment solutions for healthcare and other professional industries. For more information, visit http://www.ascendlearning.com/companies/atinursing/.