Transition to Practice Model

I am sad to see you have not received any response to this post. I have just completed a new graduate nurse residency program which was very inadequate. 9 weeks in length with just 6 shifts with a clinical coach, 4 hours of classroom time each week. The problem with a year long program is the cost, hospitals will fight to be forced to have nurses with a preceptor for a 6 month period. Regardless of the cost, I agree 6 months with a preceptor and 6 more months of relevant class work is a great idea and will make new graduates more comfortable with their new career and increase patient safety. I think it well worth the cost, instead of having to replace a first year nurse because of burn out, which is approximately 50% of new graduates.

the cost is one thing, but the time wasted is another. New grads who have passed NCLEX are supposed to be competent enough to take care of patients. We never know it all, and orientation is important. But anyone that dependent will be a burden to the department, IMHO.

I am really interested in this topic too. I have been filling in gaps by mentoring on night shift in a CVICU. Our precepers are burnt out and so I am trying to think outside the box. Hospital is hiring a CNS that should do my job and more. We work 12 hour shifts and carry the same patient load when we teach. Should new ones precept 12 hours? Anyone have any other ways of doing things?

I just wrote a paper about orienting new grads into critical care. Look at these 2 articles. The first explains a model for critical care orientation used at Northwestern Med Center in Chicago, and the 2nd article is a follow-up showing great outcomes with the program.

Good Luck!!

Morris et al..pdf

Morris et al. Outcomes.pdf

I know this article very well! I gleaned a lot from it and am using it for changes we are trying to make.

What I am looking to brainstorm now is how to stretch the precepters I have. I think that only the ones that want to do it and are good teachers should be doing the bedside training but we have a lot of training needs and they get tired. The hospital is ready to support whatever we need to make this program succeed. I have spent a year on nights simply mentoring new staff but I would like a better training program to take the place of that.

I work in a CVICU and we are training new grads to work here, challenging for sure. And of course we work 12 hour shifts, not the best for training. NOt the best for learning. I'd love any ideas you have. How does your hospital open heart train there nurses?