Defense Date

7-17-2025

Graduation Date

Summer 8-8-2025

Submission Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program

School

School of Nursing

Faculty Mentor

Yvonne Weideman

Keywords

nursing turnover, nursing shortage, nursing retention, nurse residency program, burnout, organizational turnover

Abstract

Background: First-year turnover for new registered nurses continues to take the lead in all tenured categories, accounting for 59% of turnover, carrying with it a financial impact averaging $88,000 per staff nurse lost. A synthesis of the literature finds the research to be ambiguous and anecdotal, with a narrow focus on understanding the causes of turnover, while an underwhelming amount of rigorous research has been conducted on identifying effective solutions. Solutions to mitigate nursing turnover will require an innovative approach.

Purpose: This program evaluation aimed to examine the impact of a two-year nurse residency program (NRP) on registered nurse turnover rates in the one to three years tenure.

Design: The program evaluation was performed utilizing the W.K. Kellogg’s Guide to a Program Evaluation. The program that was evaluated was the addition of a second year to the current, one-year nurse residency program. Nurse residents completed the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey 2006 at the end of 12 months (1st year) and the end of 24 months (2nd year) in the NRP.

Results/Findings: An expected finding is that a two-year nurse residency program will effectively reduce registered nurse turnover rates in the one to three years tenure. Additionally, the program is expected to impact causative factors for turnover specific to the organization.

Discussion: Interventions to reduce organizational turnover were constructed from the blending of organization-specific needs with rigorous research.

Keywords: Nursing turnover, nursing shortage, nursing retention, nurse residency program, burnout, nursing vacancies, and organizational turnover.

Language

English

Included in

Other Nursing Commons

COinS