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Abstract

Implementation of a Virtual Nurse Residency Program for Public Health Nurses: A Pilot Study

Background: Nursing retention is a growing concern for many healthcare organizations. One of the Georgia Department of Public Health’s goals is to improve the recruitment and retention rates of public health nurses in the state. In this cohort study of nurses with less than 18 months of experience in public health, pre and post-tests were conducted to measure stress, confidence, job satisfaction, and public health core competencies.

Methods: The participants took part in asynchronous and synchronous online content led by public health professionals. These two modules included content in an overview of public health and communicable diseases. A debriefing allowed participants to provide feedback about the program.

Results: Comparative analysis showed a significant increase in the mean scores for Module 1 M=57 (SD=11.43) and the mean for the post-Module 1 assessment M=83.86 (SD= 5.67). A significant improvement in the mean of the second module pre-assessment mean was also found M=57 (SD=14) compared to the post-assessment M=91.4 (SD= 12.91) for public health core competencies.

Conclusions: This project validated that public health nurses who participate in an online residency program may benefit as demonstrated by improved scores in public health competencies and reported positive experiences in the program.

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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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