Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine predictors of clinical leadership skill (CLS) for RNs with 24 months of clinical experience or less.
BACKGROUND: New graduate nurse transition programs (NGNTPs) have been proposed as a strategy to increase CLS. CLS is associated with positive patient outcomes.
METHOD: Method used was hierarchical regression modeling to evaluate predictors of CLS among individual characteristics of RNs and characteristics of NGNTPs.
RESULTS: Perceived overall quality of an NGNTP was the strongest predictor of CLS (R2 = 0.041, P < .01). Clinical experience and NGNTP characteristics accounted for 6.9% of the variance in CLS and 12.6% of the variance among RNs with assigned mentors (P < .01). RNs participating in NGNTPs for more than 24 weeks were 21 times more likely to remain employed within the organization when compared with NGNTPs of 12 weeks or less, a significant cost-benefit to the organization.
CONCLUSION: Although perceived overall quality of a NGNTP was the strongest predictor of CLS, much of the variance in CLS remains unexplained.