Date of Conferral

8-22-2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Corinne Wheeler

Abstract

Nurse residency programs provide new graduate nurses with a solid foundation to support their transition into practice. The DNP students completed a staff education project to educate nurse leaders on the implementation requirements of a nurse residency program at a not-for-profit hospital in the Midwest. The identified practice problem was that the organization paused its nurse residency program during the COVID-19 pandemic due to critical staffing needs, and the leaders wanted to redesign the program to meet current practice standards. The educational project question addressed whether education for site leaders would increase their knowledge of the implementation requirements of a new graduate nurse residency program in the acute care setting. The participants completed a 10-question knowledge assessment before and after the training. The data were analyzed utilizing the learning gain percentages formula. Six participants completed the survey. The scores increased from M = 8.67 to M = 8.83, resulting in a learning gain of 8.3%. The findings suggest that many nurse leaders had prior knowledge of the implementation requirements for a nurse residency program before attending the training session. Recommendations include conducting further research to identify the barriers that nurse leaders face when implementing nurse residency programs within their organizations. Nurse residency programs enhance the job satisfaction, competency, and retention of new graduate nurses, making a direct implication on nursing practice by retaining nurses in the workforce. The nurse residency curriculum, which includes content on diversity, equity, and inclusion, may promote positive social change and benefit new graduate nurses and the community, thereby fostering an environment that supports equitable healthcare for all populations.

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