Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Maria M. Ojeda

Abstract

The transition from student nurse to practicing professional is extremely challenging. The local organization experienced increases in turnover among new graduate hires and determined that adjustments to their orientation program to better meet the needs of new graduates were warranted. The problem that this doctoral project addressed is the lack of evaluation of the effectiveness of the new orientation program. The practice-focused question examined the effectiveness of the new orientation program at reducing turnover and improving satisfaction with the quality of the orientation program among new graduate nurses. The framework used to guide this study was Patricia Benner’s novice to expert model. Data on satisfaction with orientation and retention rates among new graduates obtained from the organization’s staff development and human resources departments were used to answer the practice-focused question. The proportion of new graduates who were satisfied with orientation and the retention rates were compared for three quarters of data before and three quarters of data after the implementation of the new orientation program. The results indicated that there was a 37-percentage point increase in the retention rate and a 44.4 percentage point increase in satisfaction with the quality of the orientation process on average after the implementation of the program. From these results, it was concluded that substantial increase in retention and in satisfaction with the orientation process among new graduates. These findings of this project contribute to positive social change by providing evidence that supports the effectiveness of helping new graduates transition from student to professional as they navigate through this pivotal moment in their life.

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