Nursing internships: taking a second look

Nursing internships are associated with recruitment and retention efforts of hospitals to gain new nursing employees. They are recognized as a benefit to new nursing staff and the hospital as well. Reported to bridge the gap and ease the transition to registered nurse, internships have been reported in the literature for over 30 years. But how effective are they? This article reviews the recent literature for evidence that internship programs improve recruitment and retention, have a positive cost benefit ratio, and ease the role transition of newly employed nurses.