Abstract
Recruiting and retaining nurses in rural communities present a unique challenge for hospitals. Standardized orientation or residency programs do not begin to meet the needs of the new nurses and may directly contribute to the low retention rate experienced by many rural hospitals. Inherent to rural nursing is the demand for the nurses to possess a high level of self-confidence and competence. It is because of these expectations and the stressors placed on the new graduate nurse that the orientation is critical to retention.