The STaR Project: Supporting the Transition and Retention of Newly Qualified Nurses
The STaR research project has recently launched its final report. Undertaken with funding from the Burdett Trust for Nursing by a team of researchers at the University of Hull, this project explored how best to support transition into the workplace and enhance retention.
Dr Jane Wray, Senior Lecturer in Nursing and Director of Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull:
The study offers many useful insights into what helps and what hinders during this crucial period in a nurses career from the perspectives of final year student nurses, newly qualified nurses, clinicians and academics. Further information about the project can be found on our website https://starnursehull.com and you can access the full report here.
This study confirms that NQNs continue to experience ‘transition shock’ and this is despite decades of research into the phenomenon and investment into frameworks and systems of support to address this.
Being supported was important to NQN confidence, self-perceived competence and feelings of belonging and appeared most successful when a whole team approach to NQN was taken. Formal approaches such as preceptorship, mentoring, orientation, induction were important but needed to be complimented by informal approaches such as peer support, learning opportunities and constructive feedback.
It was evident that towards the end of the first twelve months, NQNs are looking for new opportunities and challenges and if this is not provided (or offered) by their existing employer, they will choose to move jobs. One of the key outputs from the study is the ‘Transition Toolkit’ a collection of resources that can be used by students, NQNs, employers, preceptors, clinical educators and other healthcare staff for guidance.
Developed around the idea of the NQN journey; each section contains links to information, advice and tasks to complete. It also includes resources and further information to ‘keep learning and stay connected’, a key element of informal support. The toolkit can be accessed here.
About The STaR Project and the University of Hull
Website: www.hull.ac.uk
Facebook: @UniversityOfHull
Twitter: @UniOfHull
Instagram: @universityofhull
Blog: starnursehull.wordpress.com
About The Burdett Trust for Nursing
Facebook: @burdetttrust
Twitter: @burdetttrust
Instagram: @burdettrust
Images are of the Allam Medical Building and Dr Jane Wray, Senior Lecturer in Nursing and Director of Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull.