An Accelerated Evidence-Based Nursing Orientation: The Hybrid Instructor Preceptor Model.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Onboarding
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• Traditional nursing orientation programs can be lengthy and may not consistently standardize skill acquisition or clinical exposure.
• Accelerated onboarding is crucial for addressing nursing shortages and ensuring competency in specialized units.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate the effectiveness of the novel Hybrid Instructor Preceptor Model for nursing orientation.
• To assess the model's impact on standardizing foundational content, skills acquisition, and clinical experiences for new nurses.

Main Methods:

• The Hybrid Instructor Preceptor Model was implemented, featuring distinct instructor and preceptor phases.
• This model was applied in a pediatric acute cardiac care unit setting.

Main Results:

• The Hybrid Instructor Preceptor Model successfully onboarded 30 new nurses within a 10-month period.
• The model standardized content, improved skills acquisition, and increased clinical experiences for newly hired nurses.

Conclusions:

• The Hybrid Instructor Preceptor Model offers an effective, accelerated, and evidence-based approach to nursing orientation.
• This model shows promise for efficient and comprehensive onboarding in specialized pediatric cardiac care settings.