Health care facilities across the United States have implemented innovative approaches such as nurse residency programs to facilitate a successful transition to practice for new nurses. Many nurse residency programs evaluate their effectiveness by assessing critical thinking abilities, retention, return on investment, and job satisfaction. Evaluations are conducted using surveys and focus groups. However, there is a void in the literature that examines the effectiveness of a new nurse residency program from the participants' perspective; particularly asking the resident how the nurse residency program has advanced them to become a more competent professional. The theoretical model framing this investigation is Patricia Benner's novice to expert theory. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand participants' perceptions of a nurse residency program, specifically looking at how the program transitioned them from advanced beginner to competent nurse professional. The study sample included eight participants employed in a health care facility located in the southeastern United States. Open-ended research questions were designed to elicit the new nurses' perceptions of the effectiveness of a nurse residency program. Data collection was conducted using interviews and audio recordings. Emerging themes indicated that pre-experiences and expectations, leadership and professional development, stress and coping, supportive cohort, program improvements, and reflection on confidence and competency were fundamental elements for an effective nurse residency program. One recommendation from this study was for pre-residency assessment tools to be given to residents for customization to better facilitate the transition of new nurses to a competent professional.

The Future of Nursing explores how nurses' roles, responsibilities, and education should change significantly to meet the increased demand for care that will be created by health care reform and to advance improvements in America's increasingly complex health system. At more than 3 million in number, nurses make up the single largest segment of the health care work force. They also spend the greatest amount of time in delivering patient care as a profession. Nurses therefore have valuable insights and unique abilities to contribute as partners with other health care professionals in improving the quality and safety of care as envisioned in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted this year. Nurses should be fully engaged with other health professionals and assume leadership roles in redesigning care in the United States. To ensure its members are well-prepared, the profession should institute residency training for nurses, increase the percentage of nurses who attain a bachelor's degree to 80 percent by 2020, and double the number who pursue doctorates. Furthermore, regulatory and institutional obstacles-including limits on nurses' scope of practice-should be removed so that the health system can reap the full benefit of nurses' training, skills, and knowledge in patient care. In this book, the Institute of Medicine makes recommendations for an action-oriented blueprint for the future of nursing.

In this comprehensive resource, nursing staff development expert Jim Hansen, MSN, RN-BC, provides instruction and tools to plan, justify, and structure a nurse residency program that develops and retains new nurses through their first year

Current literature supports the creation and implementation of nurse residency programs to support new graduate nurses as they transition into nursing practice. Additionally, nurse residency programs have been shown to increase nurse satisfaction and retention (Crimlisk et al., 2017; Olson-Sitki et al., 2012). Currently, there are only three nurse residency programs in the state of Alabama. The lack of this important post-licensure resource poses a problem for new graduate nurses who are seeking additional assistance and guidance during the transition to professional practice. This qualitative study examined the decision-making process of hospital leaders in the implementation of the nurse residency program at their facility. This study also explored factors that impacted hospital leaders' decision to implement a nurse residency program. This study found a relationship between the decision to implement a nurse residency program and the desire to increase nursing development in the facilities. The benefits that were identified included building a solid foundation, recruitment and retention, and building relationships. Other factors that influenced the hospital leaders' decision to implement the nurse residency programs were demand and excessive turnover of staff. In addition, multiple barriers such as logistics, manager buy-in, and curriculum development were identified by the hospital leaders as potential barriers to implementation. This study will also be able to help hospital leaders who are struggling with the decision to implement nurse residency programs in their facilities.

Nursing residency programs are a tool used by hospitals to attract and retain new nursing employees. They were developed to ease the transition of a graduate nurse into the roles expected of a registered nurse in an acute care setting. In 2000, a hospital system in Washington state implemented a residency program for eligible new employees hired into the medical, surgical, and orthopedic units of two hospitals owned and perated by the system. This project evaluates the impact of this residency program in attracting and retaining new nursing employees. The study also explores the value of a registered nurse in the acute care setting and the effectiveness of preceptors in the orientation process. Methods used in this study include Likert Scale surveys that focus on the orientee's perception of preceptror support throughout the orientation process. Data supplied from the Human Resource Department was used in examining the effects of the program on retention rates. The results of the project suggest that residency programs may attract new nurses to health care facilities and bolster their self-confidence in the patient-care setting.

Purpose: The purpose of this review is to compare current research on nurse residency programs and determine to what degree they assist the positive transition of new graduate nurses during the first year of practice. Design: An integrative literature review was conducted of research studies on nurse residency programs in acute care settings. Kramer's Reality Shock Theory guided this review. Methods: Research published in the U.S. between 2007-2013, was obtained from electronic data searches using the key works "new graduate nurses", "novice nurse", "reality shock", and "nurse residency programs." Outcomes were compared and synthesized into major themes. Findings: Major themes include an increase in competency, satisfaction, peer support, confidence, commitment to the profession, and retention of nurses who completed yearlong residency programs. Organizational cost savings was also found. Conclusions/Relevance: The findings support previous research recommendations that the ideal length of nurse residency programs is one year; and the essential program components include preceptors or mentors and didactic education. This study findings show advance evidence of the important effects that nurse residency programs have on new graduate nurses' transition into practice, including a reduction in reality shock.