Date of Paper/Work
5-2023
Type of Paper/Work
Doctor of Nursing Practice Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Gwendolyn Short
Department/School
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Abstract
Background: According to the research, incorporating a peer support program provides novice nurses with the resources they require to assist them through the emotional and clinical challenges of their first year of practice. It facilitates the transition from orientation to post- orientation while increasing confidence, motivation, critical thinking, coping abilities, and self- esteem.
Purpose: The project goals are to increase nurse satisfaction and intent to stay by creating a community connected through similar experiences.
Methods: The Critical Care Nurse Peer Support Program was piloted in a 672-bed upper Midwest quaternary hospital. Registered nurses and board-certified integrated health and wellbeing coaches led 4-hour facilitator-guided sessions with cohorts of critical care new nurses at three, six, nine-, and 12-months post orientation. The updated Casey-Fink Survey was used to assess the effectiveness of the peer support program for incoming ICU nurses. To obtain baseline data, a prior cohort of 16 new ICU nurses who worked in the unit for 12 months post-orientation did not participate in the peer support program but did complete the survey.
Results: Data indicated a mean score of 78% for work satisfaction and 52% for intent to stay. When compared to no peer support program, both quantitative and qualitative results reveal that adopting a peer support program improves satisfaction and intent to stay for new ICU nurses. Future pilots should employ larger sample sizes to achieve credible outcome assessments.
Recommended Citation
Olawale, Abimbola; Schoen, Ruby; and Stenseth, Breanne. (2023). Critical Care Nurse Peer Support Program. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/dnp_projects/188