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Published on: February 16, 2011
Outcome evaluation of a new model of critical care orientation
Linda L Morris1, Pamela Pfeifer, Rene Catalano
1Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Illinois, USA. limorris@nmh.org
Background:
The shortage of critical care nurses and the service expansion of 2 intensive care units provided a unique opportunity to create a new model of critical care orientation. The goal was to design a program that assessed critical thinking, validated competence, and provided learning pathways that accommodated diverse experience.
Objectives:
To determine the effect of a new model of critical care orientation on satisfaction, retention, turnover, vacancy, preparedness to manage patient care assignment, length of orientation, and cost of orientation.
Methods:
A prospective, quasi-experimental design with both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Results:
The new model improved satisfaction scores, retention rates, and recruitment of critical care nurses. Length of orientation was unchanged. Cost was increased, primarily because a full-time education consultant was added.
Conclusions:
A new model for nurse orientation that was focused on critical thinking and competence validation improved retention and satisfaction and serves as a template for orientation of nurses throughout the medical center.
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