The Effectiveness of Nurse Residency Programs on Retention: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Nurse Retention Strategies
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• New graduate nurses have high turnover rates, leading to significant costs, particularly in specialty areas.
• Nurse residency programs are implemented to support the transition and retention of newly graduated nurses.
• There is a recognized need for effective strategies to address nursing workforce challenges, including succession planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on new graduate nurse residency programs.
• To examine resident satisfaction and retention rates associated with these programs.
• To provide recommendations for implementing residency programs in perioperative settings.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature.
• Analysis of studies focusing on new graduate nurse residency programs.
• Examination of data on resident satisfaction and retention rates.

Main Results:

• Residency programs are associated with increased retention rates for new graduate nurses.
• Participants in residency programs reported higher satisfaction with their orientation compared to non-participants.
• New graduates perceived residency programs as beneficial to their professional development.

Conclusions:

• Nurse residency programs positively impact new graduate nurse retention and satisfaction.
• Standardization of residency program curricula and length is needed for better outcome comparison.
• Further research, including longitudinal data and studies specific to perioperative nursing, is required to optimize program effectiveness and address workforce needs.