Implementation of a Nurse Residency Mentorship Program on a Hematology/HCT Unit

Abstract

The lack of ongoing personal and professional support post-orientation, coupled with the complexity of care on specialized units, add to the many challenges novice nurses experience when starting their nursing careers. This is an increasing concern as a growing number of new graduate nurses are hired directly into specialty units. A new graduate nurse mentorship program was implemented on a hematology/hematopoietic stem cell (HCT) unit to support the new graduate RN’s transition to independent practice. The Professional Practice and Education department implemented a six month mentorship program with matched mentor/mentee dyads, mentor training, coordinated social gatherings, and facilitated relationship support. The program was advertised and seasoned nurses were carefully selected as mentors for the pilot group of incoming new resident RNs. At one year post-orientation, the previous cohort of nurse residents were surveyed using 14 Likert-type statements about their relationships with co-workers, clinical competence, support, and professional goals. The pilot cohort will complete the same survey at the nine month and one year post-orientation time points. Survey results from the two cohorts will be compared to determine effectiveness of the mentorship program. Unit retention rates, certification rates, and staff satisfaction data between the two groups and at sequential time points will also be included in the analysis to evaluate overall effects of the program on the mentors, new resident RNs, and unit nursing staff. Preliminary results reveal a need for mentor relationships post-orientation. They also identified deficiencies in unit assimilation, resiliency, and certification plans. Data collection is currently ongoing and finalized results will be analyzed. The complexity of patient care on a hematology/HCT unit along with the challenges of transitioning from theoretical nursing knowledge to applied practice often leave new nurses with feelings of insecurity that affect performance, engagement, and personal well-being. Ongoing support through mentorship helps to mitigate these challenges and fosters professional and interpersonal growth of new graduate nurses while supporting accountability and continuous professional growth of the mentors.