Mentoring and Succession Planning Standards

Aligned with Magnet®, PTAP®, APPFA®, and Pathway to Excellence® requirements

Exceeding ANCC Recognition Program Standards

Across Magnet®, PTAP®, APPFA®, and Pathway to Excellence® 

Click here to Schedule Time with our NPDS Team

Mentoring is a structured, ongoing relationship that supports professional growth,
leadership development, and role readiness across roles.

Magnet®

When planning for Magnet® designation, mentoring and succession planning are essential standards within the application.

View the Full Requirements


TL #9: Mentoring
Choose two of the following (one example must be from the ambulatory care setting)


  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for clinical nurses. (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for Nurse Managers. (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for Nurse AVP(s)/Nurse Director(s). (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for APRN(s). (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established
    mentoring program for CNOs. (mentor to the CNO is not required to be a nurse)

TL #10: Succession Planning
Choose two of the following (one example must be from the ambulatory care setting)

  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the Nurse
    Manager role
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the Nurse
    AVP/Nurse Director role.
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the APRN role.
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the CNO role.

PTAP®

When planning for PTAP® accreditation, mentoring and succession planning are essential standards within the application.

View the Full Requirements

PTAP®

2024 PTAP® Application Manual


  • PBL 1: Describe how mentorship is integrated throughout the program and demonstrate how the learner engages in mentor/mentee relationship.
  • PL 7: Describe and demonstrate how the Program Director and executive leadership engage in succession planning for the Program Director role.

APPFA®

When planning for APPFA® accreditation, mentoring and succession planning are essential standards within the application.

View the Full Requirements

2027 AAPFA® Application Manual


  • OVP 4: Describe and demonstrate how mentoring opportunities are integrated throughout the program.
  • PL 5: Describe and demonstrate how the Program Director (or Co-Program Directors) has a process for ensuring continuity of the program in the event that the Program Director (or Co-Program Directors) changes.

Pathway to Excellence®

Planning for Pathway to Excellence® designation includes fostering a mentoring culture and developing nurses for leadership opportunities.

View the Full Requirements

2024 Pathway to Excellence Workbook


  • EOP 2.3  Succession Planning

    Describe how the organization uses succession planning to develop nurses for nursing leadership roles. 

    AND

    Provide a narrative written by a nursing leadership team member describing how the nursing leadership team member benefited from the organization’s leadership succession planning as described in EOP

    2.3a. Include the date the nurse was impacted by the organization’s leadership succession planning within the required 36-month time frame.
  • EOP 6.6 Mentoring

    a. Describe how the organization fosters a mentoring environment.

    AND

    b. Provide a narrative written by a direct care nurse describing a specific mentor and how that relationship influenced the direct care nurse’s professional growth. Include dates of the mentoring relationship within the required 36-month time frame. 

    AND 

    c. Provide a narrative written by a non–direct care nurse describing a specific mentor and how that relationship influenced the non–direct care nurse’s professional growth. Include dates of the mentoring relationship within the required 36-month time frame

Have a Question You Would Like to Discuss?

Click here to Schedule Time with our NPDS Team

Resources:

Formal vs informal mentoring guide

click here to access

ANPD Webinar “So, What?” – An Intro to Measurement Strategy for Nursing Projects

click here to access

2026 NSI National Health Care Retention and Staffing Report

click here to access

ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program Application Manual

click here to access

AONL Nursing Insight Survey

click here to access

Exemplar Writing Resource

click here to access

Working through these requirements for Magnet®, PTAP®, APPFA®, or Pathway to Excellence®?

Our team can help you align your mentoring and succession planning strategy.

Click here to Schedule Time with our NPDS Team

Exceeding ANCC Recognition Program Standards

Across Magnet®, PTAP®, APPFA®,
and Pathway to Excellence® 

Click here to Schedule Time with our NPDS Team

Mentoring is a structured, ongoing relationship that supports professional growth, leadership development, and role readiness across roles.

Magnet®

When planning for Magnet® designation, mentoring and succession planning are essential standards within the application.

View the Full Requirements


TL #9: Mentoring
Choose two of the following (one example must be from the ambulatory care setting)


  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for clinical nurses. (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for Nurse Managers. (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for Nurse AVP(s)/Nurse Director(s). (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for APRN(s). (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established
    mentoring program for CNOs. (mentor to the CNO is not required to be a nurse)

TL #10: Succession Planning
Choose two of the following (one example must be from the ambulatory care setting)

  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the Nurse
    Manager role
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the Nurse
    AVP/Nurse Director role.
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the APRN role.
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the CNO role.

PTAP®

When planning for PTAP® accreditation, mentoring and succession planning are essential standards within the application.

View the Full Requirements

PTAP®

2024 PTAP® Application Manual


  • PBL 1: Describe how mentorship is integrated throughout the program and demonstrate how the learner engages in mentor/mentee relationship.
  • PL 7: Describe and demonstrate how the Program Director and executive leadership engage in succession planning for the Program Director role.

APPFA®

When planning for APPFA® accreditation, mentoring and succession planning are essential standards within the application.

View the Full Requirements

2027 AAPFA® Application Manual


  • OVP 4: Describe and demonstrate how mentoring opportunities are integrated throughout the program.
  • PL 5: Describe and demonstrate how the Program Director (or Co-Program Directors) has a process for ensuring continuity of the program in the event that the Program Director (or Co-Program Directors) changes.

Pathway to Excellence®

Planning for Pathway to Excellence® designation includes fostering a mentoring culture and developing nurses for leadership opportunities.

View the Full Requirements

2024 Pathway to Excellence Workbook


  • EOP 2.3  Succession Planning

    Describe how the organization uses succession planning to develop nurses for nursing leadership roles. 

    AND

    Provide a narrative written by a nursing leadership team member describing how the nursing leadership team member benefited from the organization’s leadership succession planning as described in EOP

    2.3a. Include the date the nurse was impacted by the organization’s leadership succession planning within the required 36-month time frame.
  • EOP 6.6 Mentoring

    a. Describe how the organization fosters a mentoring environment.

    AND

    b. Provide a narrative written by a direct care nurse describing a specific mentor and how that relationship influenced the direct care nurse’s professional growth. Include dates of the mentoring relationship within the required 36-month time frame. 

    AND 

    c. Provide a narrative written by a non–direct care nurse describing a specific mentor and how that relationship influenced the non–direct care nurse’s professional growth. Include dates of the mentoring relationship within the required 36-month time frame

Have a Question You Would Like to Discuss?

Click here to Schedule Time with our NPDS Team

Resources:

Formal vs informal mentoring guide

click here to access

ANPD Webinar “So, What?” – An Intro to Measurement Strategy for Nursing Projects

click here to access

2026 NSI National Health Care Retention and Staffing Report

click here to access

ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program Application Manual

click here to access

AONL Nursing Insight Survey

click here to access

Exemplar Writing Resource

click here to access

Working through these requirements for Magnet®, PTAP®, APPFA®, or Pathway to Excellence®?

Our team can help you align your mentoring
and succession planning strategy.

Click here to Schedule Time with our NPDS Team

Mentoring and Succession Planning Standards

Aligned with Magnet®, PTAP®, APPFA®, and Pathway to Excellence® requirements

Exceeding ANCC Recognition Program Standards

Across Magnet®, PTAP®, APPFA®,
and Pathway to Excellence® 

Schedule Time with our NPDS Team

Mentoring is a structured, ongoing relationship that supports professional growth, leadership development, and role readiness across roles.

Magnet®

When planning for Magnet® designation, mentoring and succession planning are essential standards within the application.

View the Full Requirements


TL #9: Mentoring
Choose two of the following (one example must be from the ambulatory care setting)


  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for clinical nurses. (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for Nurse Managers. (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for Nurse AVP(s)/Nurse Director(s). (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established mentoring program for APRN(s). (mentor must be a nurse)
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of an individual mentoring plan or an established
    mentoring program for CNOs. (mentor to the CNO is not required to be a nurse)

TL #10: Succession Planning
Choose two of the following (one example must be from the ambulatory care setting)

  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the Nurse
    Manager role
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the Nurse
    AVP/Nurse Director role.
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the APRN role.
  • Provide one example, with supporting evidence, of succession planning activities for the CNO role.

PTAP®

When planning for PTAP® accreditation, mentoring and succession planning are essential standards within the application.

View the Full Requirements

PTAP®

2024 PTAP® Application Manual


  • PBL 1: Describe how mentorship is integrated throughout the program and demonstrate how the learner engages in mentor/mentee relationship.
  • PL 7: Describe and demonstrate how the Program Director and executive leadership engage in succession planning for the Program Director role.

APPFA®

When planning for APPFA® accreditation, mentoring and succession planning are essential standards within the application.

View the Full Requirements

2027 AAPFA® Application Manual


  • OVP 4: Describe and demonstrate how mentoring opportunities are integrated throughout the program.
  • PL 5: Describe and demonstrate how the Program Director (or Co-Program Directors) has a process for ensuring continuity of the program in the event that the Program Director (or Co-Program Directors) changes.

Pathway to Excellence®

Planning for Pathway to Excellence® designation includes fostering a mentoring culture and developing nurses for leadership opportunities.

View the Full Requirements

2024 Pathway to Excellence Workbook


  • EOP 2.3  Succession Planning

    Describe how the organization uses succession planning to develop nurses for nursing leadership roles. 

    AND

    Provide a narrative written by a nursing leadership team member describing how the nursing leadership team member benefited from the organization’s leadership succession planning as described in EOP

    2.3a. Include the date the nurse was impacted by the organization’s leadership succession planning within the required 36-month time frame.
  • EOP 6.6 Mentoring

    a. Describe how the organization fosters a mentoring environment.

    AND

    b. Provide a narrative written by a direct care nurse describing a specific mentor and how that relationship influenced the direct care nurse’s professional growth. Include dates of the mentoring relationship within the required 36-month time frame. 

    AND 

    c. Provide a narrative written by a non–direct care nurse describing a specific mentor and how that relationship influenced the non–direct care nurse’s professional growth. Include dates of the mentoring relationship within the required 36-month time frame

Have a Question You Would Like to Discuss?

Schedule Time with our NPDS Team

Resources:

Formal vs informal
mentoring guide

click here to access

ANPD Webinar “So, What?” – An Intro to Measurement Strategy for Nursing Projects

click here to access

2026 NSI National Health Care Retention and Staffing Report

click here to access

ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program Application Manual

click here to access

AONL Nursing Insight Survey

click here to access

Exemplar Writing Resource

click here to access

Working through these requirements for Magnet®, PTAP®, APPFA®, or Pathway to Excellence®?

Our team can help you align your mentoring and succession planning strategy.

Schedule Time with our NPDS Team