Impact of a sepsis educational program on nurse competence.

Sepsis is an emerging life-threatening entity and a worldwide epidemic. Nurses are in key positions to identify patients with sepsis, mobilize the medical team, and implement interventions. A study of self-assessed nurse competence was conducted to determine the influence of a specially designed sepsis education program on nurses' perceived ability to identify early, intervene, and care for patients with sepsis. The program was a multimodal design incorporating online interactive didactic presentations, video vignettes, pre- and postknowledge tests, and high-fidelity medical simulation scenarios. A sample of 82 critical care and emergency department nurses in a 1-year critical care nurse training program was used for this study. Pretest and posttest module knowledge scores and self-assessed competence data were collected and analyzed. No improvement in the overall self-assessed competence scores was found; however, self-perceived frequency of use of competence behaviors improved. Participants felt more competent on three sepsis-targeted statements, and posttest knowledge scores showed significant improvement.

Specialized new graduate RN pediatric orientation: a strategy for nursing retention and its financial impact.

New graduate RN retention in the first year of employment is a challenge for hospitals, ranging from a low of 25% to a high of 64%. In 2005, hospitals in New York state spent 11.7% of their nursing budgets on temporary nursing staffing. The objectives of this study were to determine the retention and costs associated with the employment of new graduate RNs before and after the initiation of specialized year-long pediatric critical care, emergency department, and hematology/oncology orientation programs. The major study findings were improved retention of 84% to 94%, significant retention between the two groups at 9 months, and an annual financial savings related to decreased nursing turnover in the specialized orientation group. Specialized orientation programs that support new graduate RNs have documented increased RN retention and decreased RN turnover. In concert with the increased retention and decreased turnover, health care finances were positively impacted by specialized orientation programs.