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Retention of new graduate nurses is a challenge for acute care agencies. The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses sponsored a hospitalbased formal mentorship program, Nurses Nurturing Nurses, for interested agencies. The outcomes and lessons learned from this project are presented.
Retention of new graduate nurses in acute care agencies continues to be a challenge. Attrition rates are high as new nurses report job dissatisfaction, disappointment, and disillusionment with nursing practice (Aiken et al., 2001; Cipriano, 2006; Cowin & Hengstberger-Sims, 2006; Duchscher & Cowin, 2006; Kovner et al., 2007). Health care organizations bear the cost of new nurse attrition. Recognizing the need for strategies to improve the retention of new nurses, the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) developed the Nurses Nurturing Nurses (N3) mentorship program in 2003. The project's goal was to enhance nurses' job satisfaction and intent to stay in the agency of employment, thus improving retention. The N3 program's purpose was to examine the effect of a mentor-mentee program on job satisfaction, new nurse confidence, intent to stay, and satisfaction with both the mentor/mentee relationship and the N3 program among new registered nurses.
Nursing Nurturing Nurses Program
The N3 program was designed as a 12-month mentorship program wherein the mentor and mentee would work together to facilitate the transition of the new nurse to professional nursing practice and implement career goals of the mentee. AMSN promoted the program to its members and hospitals. Agencies interested in the N3 program purchased a packet of materials that included a program overview and information sections for the site coordinator, the mentor, and the mentee. AMSN also appointed a N3 coordinator as the contact person for participating hospitals and an evaluation coordinator who managed the data and analysis.
Once an agency decided to participate in the N3 project, leaders were asked to appoint a site coordinator to serve as project director. The site coordinator was responsible for matching the mentor/ mentee dyads, providing orientation for the mentors and mentees, facilitating processes within the agency, and assisting in collection of evaluation data. Agencies did not have to participate in the formal evaluation process; however, for those agencies whose leaders decided to do so, the site coordinator met with the mentors and mentees, explained the study, answered questions, and obtained...