Promoting New Graduate Registered Nurse Retention through a Staff preceptorship Program

The transition from classroom to the clinical setting is challenging for most new graduate nurses (NGRNs). They often report being unprepared and lack confidence in their skills. Preceptors play a significant role in the success of the NGRNs and overall quality of care provided on the floor. However, the training they are provided is lacking. Preceptors tend to view their role as a daunting task and an assigned burden. The purpose of this project was to implement a NGRN preceptor training program. The practice focused question explored if a preceptor education program in a long-term acute care hospital increased the participants’ knowledge and perceived competence of the NGRN preceptor role. Malcom Knowles’s theory of adult learning provided the framework for this project. There were 7 participants, all of whom voluntarily applied for the role, were screened for qualifying criteria, and were interviewed by the expert panel. The participants underwent a 2-week course. A 10-question pre- and posttest was administered to the participants. The average number items correct during the pretest were 60% and 90 % for the posttest. 100% of the participants completed the program evaluation and strongly agreed that the content was helpful and would contribute to success in their preceptor role. This program created the following positive social changes: (a) increased job satisfaction for long-term staff, (b) increased job satisfaction and NGRN retention rates, (c) improved delivery of quality care, and (d) improved knowledge and delivery of policies, regulations and protocol that shape the context of how that health care was delivered