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5 Ways to Retain New Graduate Nurses

Rebecca Hendren, for HealthLeaders Media, July 5, 2011

Nursing schools advise students to find organizations with nurse residency programs and hospitals that offer them are able to pick from the best new graduates.

Residency programs require investment in time, people, and resources, but research has shown the initial investment is more than made up by increases in competency and retention. Large hospital systems with significant numbers of new graduate hires can find themselves saving $200,000-$400,000 annually by investing in top quality residency programs. Even small organizations can more than repay the expense of a program.

3. Encourage mentoring.

Mentoring can be formal or informal and both are useful. Many nurse residency programs include mentoring from the program coordinator, nursing professional development specialists who teach classes, or simply through nurses in the programs finding buddies amongst their colleagues.

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7 comments on "5 Ways to Retain New Graduate Nurses"


CG (7/7/2011 at 9:41 AM)
I work at a hospital that does all these things. If you don't, perhaps its time to look for a place that does this. We provide individualized competency based orientations for nurses so if you're experienced, you won't sit through 4 hrs of IV training, etc. We do hire new grads and have a certified nurse residency program. Why should only doctors have time to practice their educational preparation in such a complicated field and nurses don't. I agree that its short sighted if hospitals don't hire new grads. We all had to start somewhere as a new grad. There are hospitals in my city that don't hire new grads- its their loss and our gain. These grads are fresh and ready to start their careers, let's help them love what they've invested their heart in and nurture them to give great patient care. They will be taking care of us one day, let's train them right! As the majority of nurses are women, we must stop the cycle of abuse sometimes given by seasoned nurses and doctors. This harms the patient, which is why they come into a hospital- to get great nursing care.

Tracey H. (7/6/2011 at 6:04 PM)
"Hospitals across the country are welcoming new graduates....." REALLY? That has not been my experience in the NJ/NY area. Hospitals & LTC's are decidedly NOT hiring or training new grads by hiding behind online application screening. It is shortsighted, cheap, and unprofessional.

Janice Smith,MSN, RNC (7/6/2011 at 2:03 PM)
I do not understand why this expectation is being put on hospitals. Yes I agree these are good programs but hospitals cannot absorb this cost. When I was in nursing school my clinicals helped this process. Today I do not see the amount of time needed for nursing students to even learn the basics of bedside nursing and seldom see instructors with the clinical expertise to help these students learn nursing at the bedside. There has to be more to nursing school again other than classroom learning. Hospitals do not have the indirect time needed to do these programs. As payment gets leaner and leaner for hospitals I feel nursing schools must get nurses doing more clinicals that I have seen decrease over the last 20years. Yes I am a nurse of 41 years so do have experience and have witnessed first hand the changes. However I think it is unrealistic to expect hospitals to absorb this cost. Increase the salary of nursing instructors and perhaps the length of time required for schooling may have to increase.