Creating a Long-Term Care New Nurse Residency Model

As the impact of health care reform continues to evolve, the movement of patients from acute to post-acute settings will continue to expand. Currently, the turnover and retention of RNs nationally in long-term care is at an all-time high, with a median turnover rate of 50% for RNs. Workforce instability is a prime contributor to poor patient outcomes, increased costs, and a dissatisfied nursing workforce. Therefore, the New Jersey Action Coalition determined that the Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health recommendation to implement nurse residency programs across settings would be a priority for New Jersey. A 12-month new nurse residency and preceptor program was developed and implemented in long-term care, with 37 new nurses and 37 preceptors. The design and implementation processes are described, as well as lessons learned along the journey. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016;47(5):234-240.