Evaluating an innovative program to improve new nurse graduate socialization into the acute healthcare setting.

PROBLEM: New nurse graduates experience a stressful role transition into healthcare organizations, with 30% leaving their first job within 1 year and 57% leaving by 2 years of employment.

AIM: This study tests whether an internship program, Social and Professional Reality Integration for Nurse Graduates (SPRING), improves new nurse graduate retention, sense of belonging, organizational commitment, and anticipated turnover.

DESIGN: Quasi-experimental, posttest only, control group design.

METHOD: New nurse graduates hired by an academic institution that completed SPRING were compared with baseline nurse graduates who did not complete SPRING, using the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, Modified Hagerty-Patusky Sense of Belonging Instrument, and Anticipated Turnover Scale. Retention was also examined.

RESULTS: Anticipated Turnover was higher for baseline nurses than for 6-month SPRING nurses. Six-month SPRING nurses have lower antecedent sense of belonging than baseline or 12-month SPRING nurses. One-year retention is higher for SPRING new graduates than for non-SPRING new graduates.

CONCLUSION: Internship programs for nurse graduates must support the socialization of nurses and their transition into the professional role as well as teach the skills and knowledge needed for competence. This study supports the value of a comprehensive program for new nurse graduates in improving nurse retention and decreasing new nurse graduate intent to leave the organization at 6 months.