Transition Resources for Pediatric Nurses

The Society of Pediatric Nurses is committed to supporting the role of the pediatric nurse in the facilitation of transitioning adolescents and emerging adults (AEA) from pediatric to adult care, especially those with disabilities and/or special health care needs.

This page has been developed to help pediatric nurses find appropriate resources to utilize as they transition their patients.

Position Statement

The SPN position statement (December 2016) provides a framework for pediatric nurses to provide comprehensive health care transition services based upon a family-centered, adolescent-focused and interdisciplinary framework of care.

Download the Position Statement

Transition Checklist

The transition checklist (December 2017) provides a useful tool for pediatric nurses to facilitate the transition of AEA into adult care settings. SPN encourages users to adapt the checklist to meet the needs of individual institutions and the AEA they serve.

Download the Transition Checklist

CNE Session

This 2017 conference session discusses the SPN position statement on this topic and its implications for pediatric nurses in facilitating the transition of care models. Earn 1.0 contact hour for viewing. 

View recording and earn credit

Additional Resources

In addition to the literature listed in the SPN position statement, subject matter experts have compiled the following resources for pediatric nurses that contain helpful tools that can be adjusted to particular practice settings and institutions.

Transition Readiness Tools

Transition readiness tools provide a method of assessment of self-management and related competencies for adolescents and emerging adults.

A variety of generic and condition-specific transition readiness measures have been developed. The links below are not meant to be exhaustive, but represent options that have been studied to develop evidence for construct validity.

The Society of Pediatric Nurses does not endorse the use of any one tool over another. Before selecting a tool, we encourage researchers and clinicians to review the tool and evidence to support validity to determine the best fit for their population of focus and context of care.

• Am I ON TRAC for Adult Care? Questionnaire 
• Boston Children’s Hospital ADAPT survey
• Self-Management Skills Assessment Guide
• Readiness for Transition (RTQ) Questionnaire (kidney transplant recipients)
• STAR_X Questionnaire
• Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire
• UNC TR_XANSITION Index

Helpful Websites & Articles

• Autism. The management and support of children and young people on the autism spectrum; National Guideline Clearinghouse

• Doc4me mobile app; NASPGHAN Foundation for Children’s Digestive Health and Nutrition tool that helps adolescents and young adults with inflammatory bowel disease find a doctor who treats adults with inflammatory bowel disease in a specific area.

• Employment First Transition Resources; Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities

• Helping Teens Manage their Health Care; Parenting blog from University of Wisconsin

• Improving care in the long term for youth and young adults with complex care needs; Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement

• National Youth Transition Center; Clearinghouse of resources and information for college students with disabilities/special health care needs

• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability; Comprehensive information and resources on facilitating/promoting employment options are available on this website. Numerous links to other employment-related resources are available as well.

• Pediatric to Adult Care Transitions Initiative; American College of Physicians (ACP) Initiative is a collaborative effort to develop a toolkit to facilitate more effective transition and transfer of young adults from pediatric to adult care, with a major focus on providing a framework for the adult care clinicians.

• Sick Kids Good To Go presents resources and information on health-related resources for use in transition of AEA with disabilities/special health care needs.

• Social Security Administration; Additional Help WIth Health Care For Persons with Disabilities provides website links to information on health care resources for individuals with disabilities.

• Social Security Administration; Resources To Assist Youth With the Transition To A Successful Adulthood provides a comprehensive listing of website links on resources pertaining to employment, community living, health and education.

• Social Security Administration SSDI and SSI employment Supports provides a listing of links to informational resources for individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and programs that enable the recipients to continue to receive SSI while seeking employment opportunities.

• Social Security Administration (SSA) Red Book provides comprehensive information about employment-related programs of Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs. It is designed for service providers and professionals who provide services to individuals with disabilities.

• Workplace Initiative-Accelerating Disability Inclusion is a website primarily for employers on resources and information pertaining to the employment of individuals with disabilities.

• Youth.gov is a website sponsored by the federal government on youth-related topics and programs in local communities nationwide; resources are provided to enable the development and enhancement of an extensive variety of programs (i.e. bullying, financial literacy, homelessness) for youth

Employment Websites to assist individuals with disabilities to fully understand their rights and protections in seeking, obtaining and retaining employment: 

• Americans with Disabilities Act; A Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment; U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

• ADA.gov; Information and Technical Assistance on the American with Disabilities Act website provides comprehensive information for users as to the rights and protections afforded by this legislation.

• Federation for Children with Special Needs is a website for parents to foster their understanding,  support their needs, and empower them to advocate on behalf of their children.

• Got Transition is a government funded website on health care transition resources for AEA with special health care needs/disabilities

• ILRU Directory of Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and Associations – 2017 website provides links to independent living centers by state. Independent Living Centers are administered and staffed by individuals with disabilities that provide advocacy, resource and support services.

• Independent Living USA website provides information on independent living centers as well as links to the independent living centers nationwide.

• Kids as Self Advocates (KASA) is a self-advocacy organization for youth with disabilities.  Resources and peer support and networking and leadership development are provided.

• U.S. Department of Labor, Disability Resources website provides links to other resources on benefits, civil rights, community life, education, and employment, emergency preparedness, health, housing, technology, and transportation.

• Yourable.com is an online community for individuals with disabilities; information provided include free and public services, transportation, benefits, health and travel.

• Youth Pathways to Postsecondary and Employment is a gateway website to technical assistance and resource programs on employment and postsecondary options for AEA.