Retention Outcomes of New Graduate Nurse Residency Programs: An Integrative Review.

The purpose of this integrative literature review is to examine the effects that nurse residency programs (NRPs) have on the retention of new graduates.The Institute of Medicine recommends implementing NRPs and evaluating their effectiveness. Nursing leaders need to understand if an investment in a residency program is beneficial to their organization.A database search was performed for research from 2010 to 2016 reporting outcomes of new graduate NRPs relating to retention.In the articles reviewed, the 1-year retention was higher than the national average for new graduate nurses ranging from 74% to 100%. Higher rates were associated with national programs such as the University Hospital Consortium/American Association of Colleges of Nursing or Versant compared with organization-based programs.NRPs can increase 1-year retention of new graduate nurses. More controlled and comparative studies are needed to evaluate program differences. Nurse leaders need evidence to ascertain which programs are the most effective in supporting retention and return on investment.