<p> Background and Purpose: The healthcare system is currently facing daunting challenges; to increase the number of new nurses needed to provide care to the burgeoning population of seniors, to provide primary care for individuals covered by the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and to fill the vacancies left by retiring nurses. Transition into practice programs are needed to help new graduate nurses develop comfort and confidence in the autonomous Registered professional nurse (RN) role. New graduate nurses are at risk for significant job stress, leading to rapid job turnover, putting patient safety at risk. Recent studies examining transition to practice programs include results and implications that are limited by the sampling of only baccalaureate prepared new graduate nurses enrolled in a structured nurse residency program. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of transition to practice programs on new graduate nurses regardless of transition to practice program type, length of program or degree upon initial entry to practice in the state of New Jersey. Research Question: What are the effects of transition to practice programs on new nurse comfort, confidence and RN role transition? </p><p> Design, methods and participants: The non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational descriptive study utilized the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey to examine new graduate nurses' comfort, confidence and RN role transition. The purposive convenience sample consisted of 182 RNs licensed in New Jersey, who were hired into their first nursing job between January 2012 and June 2014. </p><p> Results and implications: Data analysis revealed that there were no significant differences in new graduate comfort and confidence score regardless of length of transition to practice program or entry degree received. Approximately one-third of respondents felt that they were not able to complete their patient care assignment on time, had difficulty prioritizing and organizing patient care needs, and felt that they may harm a patient due to their lack of knowledge and experience. The results of this study indicate that up to one-third of new graduate nurses surveyed, who after completion of a TTP program, are often expected to care for a full assignment of high acuity patients comparable to a seasoned RN, lacked the comfort and confidence to do so. The study also indicates however, that those who participated in a longer TTP program fared best, reporting heightened comfort and confidence responses on the survey instrument.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:3700047 |
| Date | 19 May 2015 |
| Creators | Svercauski, Jacquelyn |
| Publisher | The William Paterson University of New Jersey |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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