Innovative strategies for nurse recruitment and retention in behavioral health

Successfully recruiting licensed nurses to work in behavioral health is challenging. This article describes and illustrates methods one hospital successfully used to attract, orient, and mentor new graduate nurses to work in mental health. The New Horizons program included a paid internship for new graduate vocational nurses, a mental health curriculum, preceptorship, a state board review course, and a new graduate program. Since 2003, the program has recruited 37 new graduates for the unfilled licensed staff vacancies in mental health who continued their professional education and pursued degrees as registered nurses. The evaluations indicated that more than 100% of graduates rated the program as excellent as well as recommended it to their friends, and retention has been more than 90%. New Horizons graduates have received promotions; one has assumed a new role as a clinical resource nurse who teaches nursing orientation. All stakeholders including nurse management, patients, other disciplines, and coworkers have high praise for the program graduates. The program increased the cultural diversity of the mental health staff because the graduates included high percentages of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans and less than 10% of White Americans. Adult learning technologies were used including teaching with films, role-playing, case studies, reflective thinking, evidence-based practice, and group performance improvement projects. Research-based fact sheets were used for the course and continued education. These 1-page fact sheets help nurses apply the evidence to improve nursing practice.