Implementation of a New Graduate Registered Nurse Mentorship Program: A Quality Improvement Project

Transitioning from student to a registered nurse is a critical period for new graduates, often marked by challenges affecting confidence and job satisfaction. Mentorship programs have been identified as an effective intervention to support new nurses during this transition. The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) offers a structured mentoring program that can be leveraged to enhance the confidence level and job satisfaction of new graduate registered nurses. This quality improvement project aims to implement a new graduate registered nurse mentorship program at a > 400-bed community hospital. This program will incorporate components of the established Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses mentoring program, specifically into a 12-week format. The goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of this integrated approach in supporting new nurses and improving their confidence and job satisfaction. New graduate registered nurses (mentees) and nurse educators or clinical resource nurses (mentors) participated in the new graduate registered nurse mentoring program for over 12 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were conducted with mentees to measure confidence and job satisfaction. A program satisfaction survey was completed by all participants. Implementing structured mentorship programs such as the AMSN Mentoring Program may be a sustainable strategy for healthcare organizations to support new nurses and improve job satisfaction and clinical confidence. The findings from this project may inform the best practices for mentorship programs and provide a model that may be replicated in other healthcare settings.