Introduction
It is important to note that nurse retention and job satisfaction are essential to delivering quality care, patient safety, and improving healthcare outcomes. Nurse residency programs have improved retention rates and job satisfaction among new nurses. The given analysis aims to identify the internal data and evidence that would inform the research question and where these sources may be obtained within the clinical setting.
PICOT Question
For new nurses (P), does the implementation of a Nurse Residency Program (I), compared to no Nurse Residency Program (C), improve nurse retention rates and career satisfaction(O) within a year of their hire date (T)?
Collecting Evidence from Various Sources
Analyzing Turnover Rates
Since the PICOT question comprises several components, it is useful to determine the internal information and proof that would support the research inquiry. Firstly, a key source of data and information would be nurse turnover rates. The latter refers to the number of nurses who leave the organization within a given period, usually a year (CDI Strategies, 2022). Nurse turnover rates can be obtained from the organization’s human resource department. For example, an organization of interest can be contacted with a request for such data within the framework of confidentiality. In addition, online databases and national sources can be used as well. These rates would provide information on the number of new nurses who leave the organization within a year of their hire date. Comparing the turnover rates of newly hired nurses who completed the residency program with those who did not could offer valuable insights into its effect on retention rates.
Surveying Staff
Secondly, it is critical to obtain data presented in job satisfaction surveys. In essence, job satisfaction surveys are a crucial tool in assessing nurses’ perceptions of their work environment, job responsibilities, and overall satisfaction. Surveys can be conducted using standardized tools such as the Nursing Work Index (NWI) or the Practice Environment Scale (PES) (Sanso et al., 2021). These surveys can be administered electronically, and results can be analyzed using statistical software. Comparing the job satisfaction and the performance of new nurses who participated in the residency program alongside those who did not could reveal the program’s influence on job satisfaction.
Evaluating Performance
Thirdly, performance evaluations conducted by organizations of interest can be an outstanding source of data. Nurse residency programs typically provide structured learning experiences that aim to develop the new nurse’s skills and competencies (Sutor & Painter, 2020). Performance evaluations provide an opportunity to assess the impact of the program on the new nurse’s performance. Evaluations can be conducted by preceptors or supervisors using standardized tools such as the Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) or the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) (Sutor & Painter, 2020). Performance evaluations can provide insight into the program’s impact on the new nurse’s competence and confidence.
Measuring Engagement
Fourthly, nurse engagement surveys are useful as complementary data sources to performance evaluations. Nurse engagement surveys measure nurses’ emotional commitment to their work, their willingness to go above and beyond, and their loyalty to the organization (CDI Strategies, 2022). These surveys can be conducted using standardized tools such as the Gallup Q12 survey (Gallup, Inc., 2023). Comparing the engagement scores of new nurses who went through the nurse residency program to those who did not would provide insight into the program’s impact on engagement.
Obtaining Electronic Health Record Data
Fifthly, internal data and evidence can be obtained from sources within the clinical setting as well. These sources include Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, which can provide data on nurse turnover rates, job satisfaction surveys, and performance evaluations (Sanso et al., 2021). These systems can be programmed to generate reports that can be analyzed using statistical software.
In addition, human resource departments can be sources of substantial information for analyzing the PICOT question. The human resource department is responsible for maintaining personnel records, including turnover rates (Aburumman et al., 2020). The department can provide access to job satisfaction surveys and performance evaluations.
Interviewing Managers
Sixthly, specific professionals within the healthcare and clinical environments can be utilized as sources of valuable data. For example, nurse managers and supervisors can be contacted to obtain the necessary data relevant to the PICOT question. It should be noted that nurse managers and supervisors are responsible for conducting performance evaluations and providing feedback to new nurses (Aburumman et al., 2020). They can provide information on engagement levels and turnover rates as well.
In addition, nurse residency program coordinators can provide information on program content, structure, and objectives. They can be used to gather and collect data on program outcomes, including retention rates, job satisfaction, and performance evaluations (Sanso et al., 2021). Therefore, these professionals are of prime interest in ensuring that the key pieces of evidence are obtained for the analysis.
Conclusion
In conclusion, internal and external data that would inform the study question on nurse residency programs’ impact on retention rates and job satisfaction include several sources. These include nursing staff turnover rates, job satisfaction assessments, performance reviews, and nurse engagement questionnaires. The given sources can be obtained from various sources within the clinical setting, including electronic health record systems, the human resource department, nurse managers and supervisors, and nurse residency program coordinators.
References
Aburumman, O., Salleh, A., Omar, K., & Abadi, M. (2020). The impact of human resource management practices and career satisfaction on employee’s turnover intention. Management Science Letters, 10(3), 641-652. Web.
CDI Strategies. (2022). News: New survey shows increasing costs of nurse turnover in 2022. ACDIS. Web.
Gallup, Inc. (2023). Gallup’s employee engagement survey: Ask the right questions with the Q12® survey. Web.
Sanso, N., Vidal-Blanco, G. Galiana, L., & Oliver, A. (2021). Development and psychometric validation of the brief nurses’ practice environment scale and its relation to burnout syndrome and job satisfaction: A study in Spanish nurses. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 1-11. Web.
Sutor, A., & Painter, J. (2020). Nurse residency programs: Providing organizational value. Delaware Journal of Public Health, 6(1), 58-61. Web.