Evaluation of a Community-Based Nurse Residency

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Administration
• Hospital Management

Background:

• Nurse residency program evaluations are predominantly from academic medical centers.
• Limited research exists on evaluating nurse residency programs in community hospital settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-month nurse residency program implemented in a community hospital.
• To assess the impact of the program on nurse confidence, skills, satisfaction, and retention.

Main Methods:

• Secondary data analysis of a 12-month community hospital nurse residency program.
• Assessment of participant-reported outcomes and hospital turnover rates.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported enhanced confidence, improved nursing skills and abilities, and increased professional satisfaction.
• Participants experienced decreased stress and reported feeling more supported.
• Nurse turnover decreased from 37% to under 4% within three years of program implementation.

Conclusions:

• The community hospital nurse residency program positively impacted nurse development and well-being.
• The program demonstrated significant success in improving nurse retention in a community hospital setting.
• Findings support the value of nurse residency programs in non-academic hospital environments.