Self-reported confidence levels and satisfaction by new graduate nurses practicing independently in a nurse residency program

Abstract

<p><strong>Background:</strong> The current challenges in retaining and maintaining confident and satisfied new graduate nurses are attributed to three primary factors: lack of competence, lack of self-confidence and lack of peer support (Twibell et all, 2012). There has been a call for nurse residency programs to supplement the transition from student nurse to working nurse.</p> <p><strong>Objective:</strong>&nbsp;The purpose of this study was to determine if new graduate nurses enrolled in the University of California Davis' Nurse Residency program reported satisfaction with their current job and to determine their level of confidence with specific nursing situations and tasks.</p> <p><strong>Setting and Participants:</strong>&nbsp;The Casey Fink Graduate Nurse Survey was distributed to 39 new graduate nurses in the 16th&nbsp;week of the residency program.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong>&nbsp;This study utilized quantitative data collected from the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were then utilized to analyze the data.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong>&nbsp;Participants with an orientation over 8 weeks were more likely to feel they would be able to complete their patient assignment on time (p &lt; 0.0084). There was also a significant association between those that worked on the adult medical/surgical unit and experiencing greater personal stress (p &lt; 0.004). However, overall, 82.5% of participants were moderately or very satisfied with various aspects of their job (benefits, salary, vacation, etc.).</p> <p><strong>Conclusions:</strong>&nbsp;The results of this study led to three major conclusions in the area of the new graduate nurse experience in residency programs: There is a relationship between the unit the new graduate nurse works on and reported stress levels, fear and lack of confidence are major difficulties experienced immediately following hospital orientation with a preceptor, and new graduates want and improved orientation experience.</p>