The impact of residency programs on new nurse graduatesʹ clinical decision-making and leadership skills: A systematic review

SummaryBackground care institutions have adapted residency programs to help new graduate nurses to become fully competent and transition from a student nurse to an independent practicing nurse and a bedside leader. ives udyʹs aim is to review the literature on the impact of residency programs on new graduate nursesʹ clinical decision-making and leadership skills. Methods ctronic search was conducted between 1980 and 2013 using databases of the scientific literature in Medline, PubMed, Cochrane EPOC, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature database guide (CINAHL), and PsychInfo using a range of keywords. Information gathered was evaluated for relevance. s en studies that met the inclusion criteria were used in this systematic review. eral studies considered in this review, residency programs were developed to improve new graduates skills and promote their transition into the nursing workforce. In fact, the transition programs reduced turnover in that first year of practice and promoted professional growth of the new graduate such as hand-on nursing skills, clinical decision-making and leadership skills, satisfaction, and retention. sion is a need for effective residency programs that are designed to prepare new graduate nurses in providing safe, competent and effective patient care.