Content and Effect of Introduction Programmes to Increase Retention and Decrease Turnover of Newly Graduated Nurses...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Management
• Human Resources in Healthcare

Background:

• Newly graduated nurses face challenges in hospital settings, potentially leading to high turnover.
• Effective onboarding is critical for retaining nursing talent and ensuring quality patient care.
• Existing systematic reviews offer insights into various nurse introduction programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and compare findings from systematic reviews on nurse introduction programs.
• To evaluate the impact of these programs on nurse retention and turnover.
• To identify effective strategies for onboarding newly graduated nurses in hospitals.

Main Methods:

• An umbrella review methodology was employed.
• Searched PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PhycInfo for systematic reviews.
• Assessed methodological quality using AMSTAR 2, presenting data narratively.

Main Results:

• Included five systematic reviews covering 84 studies (2001-2018) of nine introduction programs.
• All programs involved nurses in mentor or preceptor roles, focusing on training.
• Overall positive effects on nurse retention and turnover were observed.

Conclusions:

• Mentorship and preceptorship were the most studied introduction programs.
• Lack of review transparency and study bias limited definitive conclusions on program content effectiveness.
• Structured onboarding, particularly mentorship, can enhance nurses' intent to remain in their roles.