Nurse Residency Programs: An Evidence-Based Review of Theory, Process, and Outcomes

Nursing shortages exist worldwide while job stress, dissatisfaction, lack of peer support and limited professional opportunities still contribute to attrition. The aim of this systematic review is to describe and evaluate the quality of the science, report recommendations and lessons learned about implementing and evaluating nurse residency programs (NRPs) designed to improve new graduate transitioning. Databases were searched between 1980 and 2010 using five search terms: nurse, intern, extern, transition and residency programs. Twenty studies reporting programs for new RNs fit the inclusion criteria. Three major discoveries include: 1. Wide variation in content, teaching and learning strategies make comparison across programs difficult; 2. Lack of theory in designing the educational intervention has limited the selection and development of new instruments to measure program effectiveness; and 3. Well designed quasi-experimental studies are needed. As a major nursing education redesign, NRPs could be used to test the principles, concepts and strategies of organizational transformation and experiential-interactive learning theory. By focusing on fiscal outcomes, current administrators of NRPs are missing the opportunity to implement an organizational strategy that could improve workplace environments. Healthcare organizations need to envision NRPs as a demonstration of positive clinical learning environments that can enhance intra- and interprofessional education and practice.