How to Implement a Nursing New Graduate Mentoring Program

Create a mentoring program for new nursing graduates.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were approximately 2.6 million registered nurses (RNs) in the U.S. as of 2008, and this number is expected to increase 22 percent by 2018. However hospitals and other medical facilities are reporting a high turnover of first-year RNs, 27 percent as of 2007 ,according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. To lower this percentage and prevent nurses from leaving their facilities, hospitals and other facilities need to learn how to implement a nursing new graduate mentoring program.

Instructions

1. Form a committee. Find people from different departments within the hospital willing to serve on a committee that oversees the nursing new graduate mentoring program. This encourages participation by staff facility-wide rather than only nurses in a specific area benefiting from the mentoring program. Create a list of expectations and develop a training that prepares the mentor for what they should do with their new nursing graduate.

2. Develop the mentoring program. Identify the topics and issues you want mentors to cover and discuss during the time they mentor new nurses. Set a timeline for how long the mentoring should last as well as milestones the new nurse and mentor should meet during their mentorship. Check that the mentoring program is not only addressing facility procedures but also the personal and health side of nursing, such as the emotional toll the job can have as well as proper ways to manage stress.

3. Find mentors. Encourage nurses from different areas of the hospital to volunteer to serve as mentors for new nurses and employees of the hospital. Ask nurses with positive reviews who are well-respected by their co-workers to serve as mentors. Provide an incentive program for staff who volunteer if you're having trouble finding enough mentors.

4. Train the mentors. Give the mentors a comprehensive training that details what information should be covered as they mentor their new nursing graduate. Encourage them to help the new staff member feel welcome while also providing them with the resources they need to survive and thrive within the organization. Meet regularly with the mentors after training to update them on new developments to the mentoring program as well as answer any questions they have.

5. Develop social activities. Assign mentors to each of the nursing new graduates, and create some social activities to help them meet. These not only give them the opportunity to learn more about each other, but also enjoy a break from the stress and constant demands nurses face on a daily basis as they care for multiple patients. Social activities also have the potential to make the mentoring program seem more enjoyable since it isn't always about discussing the medical facility's procedures and policies.

6. Evaluate and improve the program. Conduct surveys or focus groups with both mentors and new nursing graduates after their experience in the mentoring program ends. Learn what worked well as what needs improved. Make changes that will improve the program, then start the mentoring program again with a new group of nursing graduates. Encourage the new nursing graduates who previously completed the mentoring program to become mentors themselves. Make more changes as needed to the program over time to bring your nursing turnover rate down.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Registered Nurses
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing: RN Turnover Rate Fact Sheet

Resources

• Vermont State School Nurses' Association: Example of Nurse Mentoring Program for School Nurses