Graduation Year
2023
Document Type
Senior Thesis
Degree
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Primary Major
Nursing
Primary Minor
Leadership
Thesis Advisor
Patricia Harris, PhD, RN, CNS
Abstract
Background: The first year of nursing practice is filled with growth and anxiety. Novice nurses face many challenges. A high turnover rate for new nurses creates a need for this issue to be addressed. New nurse residency programs may ensure nurses remain available to meet the community’s needs.
Objective: The purpose of this paper is to understand challenges new nurses face and how residency programs can address them. Two questions guiding the research are:
- What are the challenges new nurses face during their transition to practice (TTP)?
- How do New Graduate Nurse Residency Programs address these problems to shape confident and competent nurses?
Literature Review Summary: Novice nurses face anxiety, exhaustion, stress, and many shocking new challenges during their TTP. The COVID-19 pandemic poses additional stressors during this phase. Residency programs lead to increased clinical competence and confidence in new nurses.
Research Proposal
New Questions:
- What are challenges novice nurses face, as they enter the workforce approximately two years “post-pandemic”?
- What are the effects of the MINDBODYSTRONG cognitive behavioral, skills-building program on new nurses’ mental health, lifestyle, job satisfaction, and response to transition shock?
Design/Method: Mixed-method study, using a sample of newly licensed nurses from three residency programs in California. Quantitative data will be gathered through surveys, in which participants rate anxiety, depression, job satisfaction, lifestyle, and stress levels on Likert scales. Qualitative data, gathered from interviews, will be used to understand TTP and the effects of MINDBODYSTRONG on mental health, lifestyle, job satisfaction, and response to transition shock.