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Abstract #152832

Kathy L. Perzynski, MS, RN¹, Elizabeth J. Cain, MS, EdD¹, Jill Trosin, MSN, RN², Julie Kruse, MS, RN³, and Cheryl Schriner, PhD, RN, BC¹. (1) School of Nursing, Lourdes College, 6832 Convent Boulevard, Sylvania, OH 43560, 419-824-3788, kperzyns@lourdes.edu, (2) Emergency and Trauma Services, Flower Hospital, 5200 Harroun Road, Sylvania, OH 43560, (3) School of Nursing, Lourdes College & The University of Michigan, 6832 Convent Boulevard, Sylvania, OH 43560

Public health departments, health care facilities, and nursing education programs are struggling to recruit and retain competent nursing professionals. This presentation will provide innovative strategies to decrease turnover and improve retention of nursing professionals and/or students within health care service organizations or education programs. These strategies were developed by a small private college in the Midwest in collaboration with the local chapter of the Ohio Organization of Nurse Executives to design a Mentorship Program for nursing students and professionals in the local community. The initial barriers of implementation were overcome by the resourcefulness of potential mentors during the early stages of the program development. The ideas of mentors led to a program design that includes a continuing education program to orient mentors to the role, a “speed networking” methodology, and internet access to connecting the protégé/mentee with the mentors. The level of resource investment will be discussed for replication in a variety of settings including public health departments. Participants of this presentation will receive access to the education program content and program materials currently used by the program coordinators.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Discuss the benefits of a successful nursing mentorship program.
• 2.Describe the components and specific strategies to implement a mentorship program.
• 3.Assess the content of a nursing mentor orientation program.
• 4.Articulate the resources needed to implement a nursing mentorship program.

Keywords: Nurses, Professionalism

Related Web page: www.lourdes.edu

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.