Effects of an Adaptive Education Program on the Learning, Mental Health and Work Intentions of New Graduate Nurses

Shu-Fen Chen, Yu-Wen Fang, Mei-Hua Wang and Tze-Fang Wang
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Shu-Fen Chen: College of Nursing, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
Yu-Wen Fang: Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, Hualien City 970302, Taiwan
Mei-Hua Wang: School of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei 112303, Taiwan
Tze-Fang Wang: College of Nursing, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-12

Abstract: Health care workers are at a higher risk of psychological distress than ordinary people. Stress affects physical and mental health, and can even produce an intention to leave. The current training for new graduate nurses (NGNs) during this transitional period mostly focuses on the cultivation of professional ability, with less attention to mental health or emotional feelings, and thus there are insufficient structured support strategies. As such, this study explores the effects of intervention through an appropriate education program on the learning, mental health and work intentions of new recruits during the transition period. A pre-test and post-test for a single group was designed for new nursing staff in a large teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. The test period was from May 2017 to December 2018, and a total of 293 cases were accepted. A three-month adaptive education program was provided and evaluated in terms of: care for learning, care for health, improving professional ability, and individualized guidance on satisfaction, mental health disturbance and work intention. The new graduate nurses who received gentle care and counseling showed a downward trend in their BSRS-5 scores and statistical differences over time ( p < 0.001). The higher the BSRS-5 score, the easier it is for new graduate nurses in acute and intensive care units. There is a tendency for turnover leave ( p = 0.03). After the intervention of the overall plan, the turnover rate of new graduate nurses within three months was 12.6%, and the one-year retention rate was 87.9%. The adaptive education program uses multiple support strategies to improve learning and professional abilities, to reduce psychological emotions, and thereby to increase retention. Today will face new medical challenges; the education programs will become more important across clinical care settings, and it will be important to rigorously validate their performance in helping NGNs.

Keywords: adaptive education program; new graduate nurses; transition; mental health; psychological distress; turnover rate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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