Anyone heard of a a study that new grads had better retention in specialties?

pickledpepperRN · Apr 23, 2007

Not specifically about specialties but I think a useful article.

Mentors help keep new nurses from bolting the professionSowgandhi Sridharam was an established accountant when she went back to college, immersed herself in physiology and anatomy, and graduated with a registered nurse's degree.
But the rigors of school were nothing compared with the demands of her new profession. Assigned to the medical/surgical oncology unit of O'Connor Hospital in San Jose, Sridharam found herself caring for patients who, as recently as two years ago, would likely have remained in the intensive care unit.
Shocked by the harsh realities of nursing, many recent graduates -- 60 percent of new hospital hires, according to national studies -- quit the profession within the first 18 months.
Now, a pilot program for nurse mentors is boasting huge success in its first two years: When new nurses are coupled with experienced RNs, they are seven times more likely to remain in the hospital work force….
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2007/04/23/story7.html

I think you have to subscribe to one of the Biz journals to access it. I think you get the gist of it though.

KnarfKS · Apr 25, 2007

I'm with you Indy, the hospital I work at only wants experienced RN's from ICU or brand new grads for their ICU. I was told by the recruiter that working tele would be a good stepping stone...not as far as the ICU managers think.

I told my current nurse manager from my origional interview that I would want to switch to the ICU and she was fine with that. She even tried talking to the ICU managers for me, highly recommending me, but nope. Maybe a new hospital is on my horizon as well.

I could see why someone would say that starting over in a specialty could be hard because we have one area mastered and starting from scratch could be hard, but I honestly don't think it will be a problem for me. I haven't worked long enough as an RN to think I have it all figured out anyway and I want to learn ne things, otherwise I would be happy to stay in med-surg.

I say medsurg is good for some, I'm not stressed out by it, just bored.

anonymurse · Apr 27, 2007

Not specifically about specialties but I think a useful article.
I think you have to subscribe to one of the Biz journals to access it. I think you get the gist of it though.

OK, here it is on another site:

http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/in-the-news/2007/april/page.jsp?itemID=30337119

fmwf · Apr 30, 2007

I'd just like to be able to find it so that I can show a member of the faculty at my school that is pressuring me to spend a year in med-surg. I really don't want to and anything that would help me justify my career choice would surely help! I know that one single study isn't the be all, end all answer, but it can't hurt either.

Hi hotdog,

If you can figure out a way...stick to your first mind my friend. You are right and the face of the Professional. Nursing will change only when the forward (not retro) thinking nurses are vested.

FMWF

fmwf · Apr 30, 2007

I'd just like to be able to find it so that I can show a member of the faculty at my school that is pressuring me to spend a year in med-surg. I really don't want to and anything that would help me justify my career choice would surely help! I know that one single study isn't the be all, end all answer, but it can't hurt either.

Hi hotdog,

If you can figure out a way...stick to your first mind my friend. You are right and the face of the Professional. Nursing will change only when the forward (not retro) thinking nurses are vested.

FMWF

fmwf · Apr 30, 2007

Med surg is more of a specialty than people realize. I think each and every nursing job should be looked upon as a specialty; so each time you change types of nursing jobs, you are switching specialties.
Now, there seem to be two ends of the spectrum, as far as what people think about "what new grads should do" in their first year. One end says med surg or floor work first, period. The other end says go for your specialty.
When considering your job, see if you can ask around to the people who work in the specialty unit(s) you are considering. Find out what end of the spectrum the hiring manager of that unit is leaning towards. That'll give you some clues; if he/she only likes to hire new grads and you want to be there, well then go there and interview! Don't wait or you'll have the disadvantage of then being someone "from the floor" that he/she isn't inclined to hire due to personal bias.
And yes, that's the situation I ran into. I had to switch hospitals to find a director who thought that floor experience was a wonderful background, and who wants to teach me to be an ICU nurse. But hey, there's a place for everyone.

Indy,

Med-surg is is is a specialty. I feel like I am unlearning and forgetting that year of training that I got for OB/L&D/hi risk. All because the prior generations hold on to this belief and really mean trick "gotta do your 6months (1yr) of med surg.

How can I ever get enough experience in med-surg to "break into" L&D? And then go to MSN?

FMWF