The Use of Reflective Practice in New Graduate Registered Nurses Residency Program

Abstract

New graduate nurses encounter emotional distress related to complex patient care situations and overwhelming workloads. Unequipped with coping mechanisms, new nurses verbalize difficulty feeling accepted in their assigned units. Self-perceptions of inadequacy and lack of independence contribute to anxiety. Consequently, hospitals are at risk for losing newly graduated nurses within the first year. The cost of losing new nurses is overwhelming to hospital institutions and further contributes to the looming nursing shortage. This article describes the use of a reflective practice exercise in a new registered nurse residency program in a magnet hospital to facilitate reflection and problem solving in the patient care unit. More research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of reflective practice in developing coping skills and retention rate in new graduate nurses.

Longitudinal study of a compassion fatigue resiliency intervention in nurse residents

“…One of the tools shared in this intervention was sharing their trauma narrative, this technique has shown benefit in graduate nurses. [42] The results of this study at 6-month post-intervention were consistent with findings at 2-month post-intervention published elsewhere. [1] At both 2-month and 6-month postintervention, STS was statistically significant and lower at baseline (p < .001) (see Table 3).…”

Reeling in RNs with a residency program

“…Comparatively, national turnover rates of nurses in the first year of practice are between 18% and 50%. 8 Some of the well-documented benefits of low turnover rates include increased patient safety and quality of care, high rates of both patient and staff satisfaction, and high levels of nurse safety. 9,10 At the conclusion of the program, these nurses aren't only competent and safe in practice, but also feel well supported in a practice environment where they're valued.…”

Reflective Practice: A Comparative Dimensional Analysis of the Concept in Nursing and Education Studies

“…In addition, RP groups, it is maintained, allow for reflection to take place in a nonjudgmental environment that helps participants develop as professionals (Dawber, 2013;McVey & Jones, 2012). The literature suggests various measures for advancing nurse development, including supervision by preceptors and peers (McVey & Jones, 2012;Rigby et al, 2012), mentoring (Pritchard & Gidman, 2012), reflective journals (Billington, 2013;Gentile, 2012), structured RP classes (Glynn, 2012), RP scenarios (Bolden, Cuevas, Raia, Meredith, & Prince, 2011), reflective discussions among nurses and nurse advisors (Lawrence, 2011), regular multidisciplinary meetings (Lawrence, 2011), support groups (Bolden et al, 2011), and debriefing sessions (Peterson et al, 2012).…”

“…RP, authors maintain, fosters empowerment (Aston et al, 2012;Gustafsson et al, 2007;Lawrence, 2011), assumption of responsibility and autonomy, and may change attitudes and behaviour (Cleary et al, 2013). It is furthermore said to enhance self-awareness (Billington, 2013;Cleary et al, 2013;Dawber, 2013;Goodwin & Deady, 2013;Rigby et al, 2012), empathy, emotional intelligence, and relationship skills (Bolden et al, 2011). Consequently, it is stated, it fosters an ability to consider the perspective of others (Johns, 2010) and thus support holistic care and a caring approach (Goodwin & Deady, 2013).…”