The Baptist Health Lexington Nursing Orientation Progression Tool: A Methodological Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Competency Assessment

Background:

• Consistent documentation and communication are vital for new nurse integration.
• Effective orientation supports timely progression to independent practice.
• Nurse leaders, educators, and preceptors play key roles in onboarding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a tool for monitoring nursing orientee competence.
• To assess the utility of the Baptist Health Lexington Nursing Orientation Progression Tool (OPT).
• To identify factors influencing the duration of nursing orientation.

Main Methods:

• A two-phase methodological study was conducted.
• Nurse educators defined goals and essential competencies.
• The Baptist Health Lexington Nursing Orientation Progression Tool (OPT) was developed and implemented.

Main Results:

• The OPT demonstrated strong content validity (content validity index = 0.98).
• 31 nurses finished orientation early, 12 on time, and 18 required extensions.
• Nurses requiring extended orientation were exclusively new graduates.

Conclusions:

• The OPT facilitated timely orientation completion for newly hired nurses.
• New graduates may benefit from more intensive support during orientation.
• The tool aids preceptors in guiding nurse progression to competence.