Date Available
4-24-2024
Year of Publication
2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Committee Chair
Dr. Debra Hampton
Clinical Mentor
Dr. Jennifer Thornsberry
Committee Member
Dr. Karen Stefaniak
Abstract
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Nursing leaders across the United States are seeking to recruit and retain new graduate nurses as a national nursing shortage widens at an alarming pace. Healthcare systems are tasked to strengthen the skill set of novice nurses as they seek to meet the care needs of acutely ill patients and rebuild a skilled workforce for future years. This study evaluated the impact of a four-part mentorship series for novice nurses on perceived strengths in competency, communication, wellbeing, and teamwork.
Methods: In this quality improvement project with pre-intervention/post-intervention assessment, a sample (n=14) of medical surgical nurses with less than one year of nursing experience participated in a survey to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse leader led mentorship series on four subdomains: clinical competency, communication, wellbeing, and teamwork.
Results: The four-part mentorship series titled “New Crew Nights” resulted in increased perceived strengths in three domains of skills: clinical competency (p=.002), communication (p= .046), and wellbeing (p= .010). The teamwork domain mean score improved (4.2 to 4.6) but did not show statistical significance (p= .152).
Discussion: Targeted mentorship sessions on critical skills needed to succeed in the nursing career had an impact on novice nurses. Participants in the program learned valuable tools to communicate in critical situations, give feedback to peers and leaders, trust their team, and care for themselves.
Conclusion: Nurse leaders can impact the perceived strength of novice nurses in navigating a challenging healthcare environment through mentorship. Effective mentorship can improve sense of team and self in novice nurses while also building clinical skills at the bedside.
Recommended Citation
Bergman, Taylor C., "New Crew Nights: The Impact of a Nurse Leader Led Mentorship Series on Perceived Competency in the Novice Nurse" (2024). DNP Projects. 461.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/dnp_etds/461
