title: The use of an advanced medical-surgical course for the retention and professional development of medical-surgical nurses in an acute care hospital.
abstract: The retention and professional development of the medical-surgical nurse is a challenging endeavor. Voluntary nurse turnover affects the collective costs of direct and indirect recruiting, productivity and training, and termination. These costs are estimated to be 0.75 to 1.30 times a nurse's average departing salary. The multifactorial dimensions of nursing retention remain a challenge for leaders at the organizational level. This article describes an educational strategy in the form of an advanced medical-surgical course used by a multicampus academic community Magnet® hospital to increase the retention and professional development of medical-surgical nurses. The authors report the goals, content, and outcomes of this advanced medical-surgical course.
authors.affiliation: Evidence Based Practice & Clinical Excellence Department, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, PA 18103, USA. marie_c.gutekunst@lvhn.org
authors.forename: Marie-Claude
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gutekunst
authors.forename: Jeanine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delucca
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kessler
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D013527:Perioperative Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D013192:Staff Development / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000078329:Workforce