Increasing the Efficiency of Critical Care Orientation: A Four-Phased Quality Improvement Approach

Abstract

More nurses without critical care experience are being hired by intensive care units. Eleven newly hired nurses participated in a phased program designed to improve the efficiency of intensive care unit orientation. A pre-post implementation design demonstrated that although there was a 14% reduction in orientation time, there were no statistically significant changes in new hire or preceptor satisfaction nor in first-year registered nurse turnover rates. Expansion of the program is needed to demonstrate its impact.