Date of Graduation

2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

DNP

College

School of Nursing

Department

Adult Health

Committee Chair

Kari Sand-Jecklin

Committee Co-Chair

Patricia J Maramba

Committee Member

Rose Morgan

Abstract

Background: A shortfall of 340,000 registered nurses (RNs) is projected by the year 2020. New graduate nurses often experience anxiety, apprehension and stress with their first job after graduation. Approximately 30% of new graduate nurses leave their first jobs within the first year of practice, and 57% within the second year. Many facilities are relying on new graduate nurses to fill vacancies. Recently a focus has been placed on orientation programs to prevent newly hired nurses from resigning. Orientation plays a critical role in job satisfaction and retention of the new graduate nurse.;Objective: The aim of this capstone project is to evaluate the effectiveness of a precepted orientation program on new graduate nurse retention, intent to stay, and satisfaction with the orientation program during the first six months of employment in a southern West Virginia (WV) hospital.;Method: Using Transition Shock Theory as the conceptual framework, new graduate nurse satisfaction with the precepted orientation program and intent to stay in their new job were evaluated. New graduate nurse turnover rates were also measured after three months and six months in the precepted orientation program.;Sample: All new graduate nurses with less than one year of nursing experience hired at a small Community hospital in southern WV between May 2012 and Aug. 2013 (n = 20).;Results and Conclusion: New graduate nurse turnover decreased with none of the NGNs leaving compared to ten percent previous to the precepted orientation program. NGNs were satisfied with data suggesting intent to stay on the Anticipated Turnover Scale (ATS).;Keywords: new graduate nurse orientation, intent to stay, preceptor, preceptorship, precepted orientation.

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