The Institute of Pediatric Nursing (IPN) recently published an executive summary of findings from a 2013 survey that showcase the enduring importance of residency programs in helping prepare student nurses for a career in nursing. According to the IPN, the Institute of Medicine’s 2011 Future of Nursing report recommended the establishment of nurse residency programs (NRPs) to support transition-to-practice and to ensure a competent workforce. In response, the Residency Task Force of the IPN created a survey, Exploring Pediatric Nurse Residency Programs, to explore the characteristics of NRPs. More than 316 hospitals participated in the study. 

Highlights include:

• 94% of the responding hospitals offered an orientation program and 69% offered an NRP
• In most cases, the NRPs were internally developed (60%) and one year in length (47%)
• Benefits of NRPs included development of professional role confidence and peer support networks, an increase in safe nursing practices and a decrease in nursing turnover
• Evaluation of NRPs included measures of satisfaction, turnover rates and standardized measures, primarily the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey (49%)
• Common content across programs included critical thinking, stress management, small group support, professional role transition, pediatric resuscitation and evidence-based practice

For more information about the Institute of Pediatric Nursing’s research on Pediatric Nursing Residencies, visit www.ipedsnursing.org. You can also look for the full article discussing the survey results, “Exploring the Structure and Content of Hospital-based Pediatric Residency Programs,” Smith, J.B., Rubinson, D., Echtenkamp, D., Brostoff, M., & McCarthy, A.M. (in press), in an upcoming Journal of Pediatric Nursing.