| Rural nurses face numerous challenges when transitioning from nursing school to professional world of providing patient care. Many newly hired registered nurses in rural organizations do not receive an intensive orientation with mentorship, a gap established in the literature review. As a result, many new nurses must first gain experience in an urban setting. The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze current orientation practices at a rural Colorado hospital to determine the effects of training on self-efficacy of the new hire. Utilizing the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey, specific factors of orientation were measured. These factors included communication, support, skill and knowledge acquisition, and mentorship. Guided by Bruner's constructivist theory and Bandura's social cognitive theory, information gathered from five nurses and two directors was used to identify areas of weakness in the current orientation program. In person interviews took place at the organization. Data identifying weaknesses included mentorship and length of orientation program as two key areas to improve. The consensus among participants was that the length of orientation varied from two days to a few months and lacked consistency. Primary mentors were not assigned and heavy reliance on nursing staff aided in the transition from student to professional. A plan of action with suggestions on improvement for length of orientation and mentorship will be developed based on participant comments. |
