Implementation and Evaluation of a UHC/AACN Nurse Residency Program at a Tertiary Care Center

Abstract

<p>Nurse residency programs are designed to ease the transition from student to professional nurse. Newly licensed nurses entering into practice experience stressors related to role transition and feel inadequate and unprepared to deal with daily challenges that arise in practice. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to implement an intervention designed to decrease role-related stress, increase retention and confidence of newly licensed RNs, and apply strategies to execute EBP at the bedside. The Model for Evidence-Based Practice Change by Rosswurm and larrabee (1999) was the framework chosen to guide this project. The review of literature emphasizes the essential support of newly licensed RNs to enhance job satisfaction, improve confidence, and decrease turnover and stress. Numerous published studies support the need for nurse residency programs to enhance transition from novice to professional nurse. Newly licensed RNs at a Midwestern healthcare organization were enrolled in a year-long nurse residency program and required to attend one four-hour didactic session monthly. The Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey© (Casey, Fink, Krugman, & Propst, 2004) was completed at three intervals to measure levels of confidence, job satisfaction, and ease of transition into practice. The EBP Beliefs Scale© was administered in March and October 2010 to measure residents' beliefs about EBP. Program outcomes targeted attraction and retention of high-quality nurses, improved job satisfaction and confidence of newly licensed RNs, and enhanced interest in research and EBP at the point of care.</p><p>This presentation occurred at the Wright State University Campus-Wide Celebration of Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities on April 8, 2011</p>