Graduation Year

2024

Degree Type

Open Access Capstone

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing

First Advisor

Lisa G. Jones

Department Affiliation

Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing

Second Advisor

Nancy G. Owens

Department Affiliation

Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing

Department Affiliation

Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing

Abstract

Abstract

Retention of critical care nurses is a challenge for healthcare organizations. Regional critical access hospitals struggle with recruitment and retention of qualified registered nurses (RN). Providing nurses with experienced mentorship can support continued learning and opportunities to provide high quality care. Veteran critical care nurses can provide invaluable mentorship to regional critical access hospitals, aiding them in the establishment of local critical care units. A review of literature provides evidence of the positive impact of RN mentorship programs through noted improvement in role satisfaction, RN retention, improved patient outcomes, and decreased organizational healthcare costs. The literature also identifies positive impacts from web-based RN mentorship support. This doctoral level quality improvement project aimed to provide remote RN mentorship support for new critical care RNs at a regional critical access hospital. A standardized process provided a mentorship framework which encouraged communication and collaboration between critical care nurses at an academic medical center and a regional critical access hospital intensive care unit (ICU). The 12-week project yielded a small number of participants (N=4) and a low number of patients requiring care (N=10). Census dependent variables and low RN participation levels impacted statistical analysis. Raw data collection and mentor shift summaries indicated a positive impact on communication, collaboration, and retention, while transfer data remained similar.

IRB Approval Number (if applicable)

5933

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Included in

Nursing Commons

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