Nursing residency program: a solution to introduce new grads into critical care more safely while improving...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Critical Care Nursing
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• Critical care units face significant nursing shortages.
• Hiring newly graduated nurses is a strategy to address staffing gaps.
• Safe integration of inexperienced nurses into high-acuity settings is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a nursing residency program designed for new graduates in critical care.
• To evaluate the program's impact on recruitment, retention, and critical care accessibility.
• To assess the program's effectiveness in developing essential nursing skills.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a one-year nursing residency program for nurses with less than one year of experience.
• Evaluation of recruitment and retention rates pre- and post-program implementation.
• Assessment of changes in critical care bed accessibility.
• Qualitative feedback from experienced nurses on resident skill development.

Main Results:

• A 46% increase in the recruitment rate of newly graduated nurses.
• A 26% rise in one-year retention and a 71% increase in overall retention rates.
• A 50% increase in critical care bed accessibility (from 24 to 36 beds).
• Positive evaluations from experienced nurses regarding resident skill and critical thinking.

Conclusions:

• A dedicated nursing residency program effectively integrates inexperienced nurses into critical care.
• Such programs can significantly improve nurse recruitment and retention in high-acuity areas.
• Residency programs are a viable solution to enhance access to safe, quality critical care.