Date of Award
Spring 4-13-2026
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Dr. David Liguori, DNP, NP-C, ACHPN
Second Advisor
Dr. Lynn Johnson, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC, RN, CCRN
Abstract
Practice Problem:
Nurse retention has been a persistent issue for over a decade, with increasing turnover among new graduate nurses. Many new nurses leave the profession due to inadequate preparation for clinical roles and responsibilities.
PICOT:
The PICOT question that guided this project was: For nurse managers and leaders supporting new graduate nurses (P), how does the development of a best-practice retention toolkit (I), compared to existing retention practices (C), guide evidence-based strategies to improve nurse retention (O)?
Evidence:
Evidence indicates that new graduate nurses often feel insufficiently prepared for patient care responsibilities, compromising patient safety (Haddad et al., 2023; American Nurses Association, 2023). Research supports structured training and transition programs as effective strategies to improve retention.
Intervention:
A best-practice retention toolkit was developed to support the transition from nursing school to clinical practice using evidence-based strategies and practical resources. This toolkit was designed using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model, the McKinsey 7-S Framework, and the CDC Toolkit Development Framework.
Outcome:
Evaluation by subject matter experts demonstrated strong support for the toolkit, with positive ratings for clarity, relevance, and face validity. All experts agreed that the toolkit would be a useful guide for training and supporting new graduate nurses.
Conclusion:
This project resulted in the development of a structured, evidence-based toolkit to support new graduate nurses and improve nurse retention. The toolkit offers a sustainable approach for nurse managers and leaders to enhance training and promote workforce stability.
Recommended Citation
Ryan, T. (2026). New Graduate Nurse Retention Strategies Toolkit for Managers and Leadership. [Doctoral project, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences]. SOAR @ USA: Student Scholarly Projects Collection. https://doi.org/10.46409/sr.FDWO8978
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Scholarly project submitted to the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice.