Successful development and delivery of a formal orientation and preceptor program is fundamental to retaining health care professionals. These programs form the bridge from recruitment to retention for not just new associates joining the organization, but for more senior associates who are key players in these programs.
For new associates, these programs provide exposure to an acute-care setting that they may not be familiar with. Often, these are new graduates who may be apprehensive about stepping into a hospital environment.
Main components of an orientation or preceptor program include the hospital-wide orientation, requirements for accrediting organizations and their unit-specific orientation which is geared towards minimizing the time needed to function independently. It is important these individuals feel they have a solid support system and that they are integrating into the organizational culture to ensure their long-term success.
Another benefit of orientation and preceptor programs is that experienced clinical staff members who act as preceptors or mentors typically have higher job satisfaction. They actually become a stakeholder in the success of the people they are mentoring and in many cases they are being prepared for a future leadership role. The feeling of empowerment that is instilled in these preceptors is transferred to the individual being precepted.
At Martin Memorial, our education, human resources and nursing departments have partnered to develop a comprehensive orientation program that has resulted in an overall vacancy rate of less than 3.5 percent; a nursing vacancy rate of 3 percent; and a significant reduction in organizational turnover.
The benefits from a successful orientation and preceptor program are evident within Martin Memorial with regards to recruitment, retention, job satisfaction and improved patient care.
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