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Implementation of a transition to practice program for newly licensed registered nurses
(2017-09-12)
The reality of nursing at a professional level is often in direct contrast to anything new nurses have experienced during their educational program. This reality shock may lead to increased turnover and decreased job satisfaction. The objective of this project was to determine whether an evidence based transition to practice program initiated at a 285-bed not-for -profit community acute care facility increased confidence and comfort for newly licensed nurses as they transitioned from student nurse to professional nurse. A comparative study was conducted utilizing the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience survey. The survey tool was administered upon starting the transition to practice program and then again at eight weeks into the program. Newly licensed nurses hired by the organization and starting in January 2017 were included. Nurses with any previous experience were excluded. The study began with 32 subjects and nine were lost during the course of the study, resulting in a 71.8% retention rate for the study. There was a significant increase in self-reported confidence in nursing skills at eight weeks (p-value < 0.0005). There was no significant change in self-reported job satisfaction at the eight-week mark (p-value = 0.294). While this project validated that an evidence-based transition to practice program increased nurse confidence as they transitioned from student nurse to professional nurse, further research is needed to see if these outcomes will translate into better retention and job satisfaction for newly licensed nurse....