title: Surviving the nursing shortage: developing a nursing orientation program to prepare and retain intensive care unit nurses.
abstract: The shortage of nurses has reached crisis proportions around the world. In response to a critical shortage of qualified neonatal intensive care nurses, one institution developed an educational program so comprehensive that they were able to increase their nursing staff by 20% and staff the neonatal intensive care unit with well-prepared and proficient nurses. This strategy has also resulted in high retention rates, a decrease in overtime, and a relatively low error rate by new nurses.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Tufts-New England Medical Center and The Floating Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Debra A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cavanaugh
authors.forename: Anita L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Huse
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001900:Boston; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D017145:Models, Educational; D009013:Morale; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000193:education; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000458:organization & administration; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D000078329:Workforce