New nurses hurt by lack of mentoring, study says

Nurses entering the workforce in 2021 experienced a dearth of mentoring relationships, according to a study published in Nursing Economic$. The secondary analysis of the results of the 2021 National Student Nurses’ Association New Graduate Survey showed new nurses entering the workforce during the pandemic struggled due to limited residencies, orientation and mentoring. While many national associations offer comprehensive mentoring programs, the study noted nursing students and new nurses are not finding mentors easily in the workplace. In addition, residency programs had limited benefits and may not be effective unless they adhere to recommended best practices established by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The study authors urged nursing leaders to “examine and enhance quality, content, and length of orientation and preceptorship programs.”