Transition Into Practice: Beyond Hospital Walls

Abstract

Background: Historically, evidence has shown the importance of nurse residency programs, yet few organizations have implemented them outside of hospital settings. This article shares nurses' experiences and outcomes in an out-of-hospital nurse residency program that transitioned bachelor of science in nursing graduates through an academic-practice partnership. Method: A mixed methods design was used that consisted of qualitative interviews (pre- and postresidency) and quantitative surveys (Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey, a job satisfaction survey, and a preceptee evaluation survey). Results: Forty-four nurses participated. Qualitative findings were supported by the quantitative data. Results showed that confidence, competence, job satisfaction, and retention improved with an out-of-hospital residency program. Conclusion: Ensuring that every new graduate is afforded a nurse residency should be the goal, regardless of setting, to reduce turnover, ensure workforce stability, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Academic-practice partnerships can help build resource capacity, especially in these settings, to achieve this goal. [ J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(7):327–336.]