Required Transition Program vs. Current Orientation Programs

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Mar 31, 2014

Clearly that is ideal however they are expensive for the hospital. What do you think? Is more government involvement a good thing?

clwhunt · Apr 2, 2014

I admit I am being idealistic. There are places though where they've tried programs and reported savings from a decreased turnover. The transitioning nurses are more likely to stay. One said they had savings from the elimination of agency and travel nurses. I'd settle for incentives for hospitals with such programs that had certain specifications. Maybe we could really see if they save money in the end as well as increase safety. Thanks, Esme 12.

4boysmama · Apr 2, 2014

In my area (Philly) the transition programs are pretty much standard in the hospitals (they're called Nurse Residency) but not in any of the sub-acute/LTC/SNFs. They're all year-long programs, and include not just extended orientation time with a preceptor, but also classes with other nurse residents, and several of them require some sort of evidenced-based practice research project before the end of the residency.

annie.rn · Apr 2, 2014

I have done two transition type programs. One was while I was a student nurse going into my senior year. It was a program through the VA called the nursing VALOR program. It alternated between shadowing the nurses and CNAs on the floor and spending time in the classroom learning hands on skills and learning about things we had seen on the units that we wanted to know more about. It was a fantastic program and reinforced that, yes, I did want to be a nurse. It also gave me more self confidence going into my senior year. Not to mention, I learned how to give an awesome shave and spiffy those guys right up.

After graduation, I was commissioned in the USAF and went through their program called NTP or Nursing Transition Program. It was structured similarly to the VALOR program w/ a floor time and classroom time mix.

Personally, I found both the programs invaluable in learning the hands on skills and organizational skills that I had not perfected in nursing school. This, in turn, made me much more comfortable (and safer, I'm sure) when I was on my own. The preceptors were all volunteers and had to go through a selection process so the preceptors really wanted to have students and never made you feel bad if you weren't catching on quickly enough.

In summary, yes! I think transition programs are highly beneficial. As far as making them mandatory, I'm not sure. I don't know much about the business side of things so I am not sure if laying the infrastructure for quality transition programs is feasible for all hospitals.

If the government took it over, I would fear the programs might become less than efficient and might not meet the needs of the individual person or setting. It seems as if you'd want each hospital to develop its own program so that it would be tailored to that hospital's culture and pt. population. If the government or state ran it, it might become a "one size fits all" program that might not best suit the nurses or patients.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Apr 2, 2014

hospitals would fight it. Unless you are under a contract you can walk out anytime. If we have spent thousands of dollars training you we want you to stay. But we cannot force you to stay. So I believe hospitals would revolt. HOWEVER, a good preceptor program is essential and I back that 100%. I also think new grads are so nervous that they will buy almost anything that promises easy and quick results, just to ease their fears. The reality is that the new grads learn and go on to be great nurses, with or without a formal program