Location
Central Division
Start Date
26-10-2023 9:00 AM
End Date
26-10-2023 9:05 AM
Description
Abstract:
Background
From 2022-2023, a 28-bed cardiac care intensive unit (CICU) employing 120 Registered Nurses (RNs) hired 63 RNs, including 3 new graduates and 32 new-to-specialty, following significant turnover. Nurses in the CICU frequently face complex situations, leading to emotional distress and potential turnover if coping resources are not provided. Research suggests that pairing a new CICU nurse with an experienced mentor to help cope with complex situations can significantly increase confidence and resiliency and reduce emotional distress and turnover. On our CICU, nurses are assigned a preceptor for 12-20 weeks to orient to CICU-specific competencies without an emphasis on emotional coping. Our team therefore proposed to implement a mentorship program to support nurses after completion of preceptorship. However, on our CICU, there were insufficient experienced staff to provide one-on-one mentorship. Thus, we developed an on-shift team mentorship model to emotionally support new CICU nurses.
Purpose
To evaluate effectiveness of a team mentorship program regarding turnover and confidence managing complex situations.
Methods
Early in 2023, staff representatives of the CICU UBC proposed that the Helper RN, a rotating role of an experienced RN who does not take patients but helps others manage complex tasks on the unit, could serve as an on-shift team mentor to new hire nurses following completion of preceptorship. Experienced RNs were nominated by UBC members to serve as mentors and recruited via email and personal outreach. Volunteers were then trained to be effective mentors via an online, evidence-based mentorship module produced by the Providence Nursing Institute. In March of 2023, the new mentorship guidelines were implemented for Helper RNs. They rounded on new RNs each shift to answer questions and provide support. RNs hired since April 2022 completed a team-created, 23-item Likert-scale survey measuring their confidence managing complex situations. Item responses ranged from 1-5 (1=not at all confident to 5=very confident). The average of all 23 items was calculated to create a final confidence score. The survey was repeated to the same RNs in August of 2023, including additional questions evaluating the effectiveness of the new mentorship model. Turnover rates from internal human resources site for the CICU were compared from 12/2022 to 8/2023. Turnover was defined using the number of first year employees compared with the average headcount on the unit and is reported as % which reflects the trailing 12 months.
Results
In all, 20 nurses completed both pre and post confidence surveys with clinically, but not statistically significant changes noted (m=3.48 pre versus m=3.74). No change to turnover rates was observed.
Conclusion
Using a team mentorship model is an innovative approach to support new RNs in a CICU. More time is needed to effectively evaluate the impact of the mentorship program on turnover and confidence levels.
Implications for Practice
The team mentor project has provided a platform for staff to be emotionally supported in the fast-paced and ethically challenging environment of the CICU. Initial feedback supports that the team mentor program is contributing to positive change on the unit.
Recommended Citation
Evans, Sarah, "A Team Mentor Project to Reduce Turnover on a CICU" (2023). Central Division Nurse Clinical Inquiry Conference. 12.
https://digitalcommons.providence.org/central_nurs_conf/2023/agenda/12
Included in
A Team Mentor Project to Reduce Turnover on a CICU
Central Division
Abstract:
Background
From 2022-2023, a 28-bed cardiac care intensive unit (CICU) employing 120 Registered Nurses (RNs) hired 63 RNs, including 3 new graduates and 32 new-to-specialty, following significant turnover. Nurses in the CICU frequently face complex situations, leading to emotional distress and potential turnover if coping resources are not provided. Research suggests that pairing a new CICU nurse with an experienced mentor to help cope with complex situations can significantly increase confidence and resiliency and reduce emotional distress and turnover. On our CICU, nurses are assigned a preceptor for 12-20 weeks to orient to CICU-specific competencies without an emphasis on emotional coping. Our team therefore proposed to implement a mentorship program to support nurses after completion of preceptorship. However, on our CICU, there were insufficient experienced staff to provide one-on-one mentorship. Thus, we developed an on-shift team mentorship model to emotionally support new CICU nurses.
Purpose
To evaluate effectiveness of a team mentorship program regarding turnover and confidence managing complex situations.
Methods
Early in 2023, staff representatives of the CICU UBC proposed that the Helper RN, a rotating role of an experienced RN who does not take patients but helps others manage complex tasks on the unit, could serve as an on-shift team mentor to new hire nurses following completion of preceptorship. Experienced RNs were nominated by UBC members to serve as mentors and recruited via email and personal outreach. Volunteers were then trained to be effective mentors via an online, evidence-based mentorship module produced by the Providence Nursing Institute. In March of 2023, the new mentorship guidelines were implemented for Helper RNs. They rounded on new RNs each shift to answer questions and provide support. RNs hired since April 2022 completed a team-created, 23-item Likert-scale survey measuring their confidence managing complex situations. Item responses ranged from 1-5 (1=not at all confident to 5=very confident). The average of all 23 items was calculated to create a final confidence score. The survey was repeated to the same RNs in August of 2023, including additional questions evaluating the effectiveness of the new mentorship model. Turnover rates from internal human resources site for the CICU were compared from 12/2022 to 8/2023. Turnover was defined using the number of first year employees compared with the average headcount on the unit and is reported as % which reflects the trailing 12 months.
Results
In all, 20 nurses completed both pre and post confidence surveys with clinically, but not statistically significant changes noted (m=3.48 pre versus m=3.74). No change to turnover rates was observed.
Conclusion
Using a team mentorship model is an innovative approach to support new RNs in a CICU. More time is needed to effectively evaluate the impact of the mentorship program on turnover and confidence levels.
Implications for Practice
The team mentor project has provided a platform for staff to be emotionally supported in the fast-paced and ethically challenging environment of the CICU. Initial feedback supports that the team mentor program is contributing to positive change on the unit.
