Work unit transformation to welcome new graduate nurses: using nurses' wisdom.

While providers, consumers, and administrators recognize the need to attract and retain nurses, recruiting, transitioning, and retaining new graduate nurses (NGRNs) remains problematic. The first 3-12 months of NGRN employment is a perilous and stressful time, with experiences during the transition period profoundly influencing their careers. The purpose of this project was to develop a dedicated transition unit using a theory-driven approach. It addressed employee on-boarding and practice environment issues and it focused on attracting and retaining experienced and newly graduated RNs on an active inpatient unit. Implications are described for those interested in improving the work environment for hospital nurses.