A nurse transition program for orthopaedics: creating a new culture for nurturing graduate nurses.

Successful training and initiation of new graduate nurses is a critical concern for the entire healthcare industry. Current literature reports that as many as 80-90% of new graduate nurses will leave their job within the first year of employment (Bradley, 2001). In summer 2001, the inpatient orthopaedic department of a large community hospital in the southeastern United States was faced with significant recruitment and retention issues. In response, a new nurse graduate transition program was developed for the orthopaedic specialty. This program uses an adult learning model and a single dedicated preceptor. In addition to clinical experience, the program provides special attention to the development of professional behavior, relationship building, and critical-thinking skills. During the next 2 years, the program produced eight new orthopaedic nurses with a first-year turnover rate of 0%. In addition, this program has positively influenced other areas of importance for RN recruitment and retention, including quality of care, patient satisfaction, and staff satisfaction.