EXPLORATORY STUDY OF NURSING ORIENTATION PROGRAMS IN SELECTED MEDICAL AND SURGICAL HOSPITALS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
Contributors: George Washington University.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 174
Subjects: Health Sciences, Education.
Description: Changes within the health care industry are placing demands upon health care providers to utilize their human resource more efficiently and effectively. Since the nursing profession has been confronted with a proliferation of scientific discoveries and technological advances which have markedly increased the knowledge and skill base necessary for nurses to function as competent practitioners, it is increasingly important that Nursing Orientation Programs be developed which adequately address the issues of cost, quality and efficiency.

The purpose of the study was to describe the current state of Nursing Orientation Programs in non-federal, short-term, acute care general medical and surgical hospitals within the Commonwealth of Virginia. This study was conducted in the following manner: Purpose and research questions were established; the related literature was reviewed; a questionnaire was developed and distributed to those persons in 97 selected hospitals responsible for the administration and coordination of Nursing Orientation Programs and, the data was analyzed.

Twelve research questions were examined which included the following: What is the overall program structure for newly-employed nurses, with respect to: (a) formal instruction, (b) clinical experience, (c) length of time? Is there a new-graduates, transition program? To what extent do orientation programs vary by educational preparation or experience? What are the specialty unit orientations offered? What is the commitment of institutional resources to support nursing orientation? What is the scope of nursing resources responsible for nursing orientation? What are the qualifications, training, and past experiences of those persons responsible for nursing orientation? What are the orientation program areas? What are the teaching and learning strategies utilized for teaching orientation? What are the costs of the orientation program? What are the methods used in evaluating the program effects? What are the program outcomes.

This study provides hospital administration with information that can be utilized in planning for or affecting change in existing nursing orientation programs and in identifying areas of concern. It can also be of use in increasing the quality and effectiveness of nursing orientation programming.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-08, Section: B, page: 2251.

Thesis (ED.D.)--THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, 1987.

School code: 0075.