Comparison of Task-Layered Clinical Orientation to Traditional Orientation in a RN Residency Program.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of using a task-layered clinical orientation when compared with the original patient-layering approach. BACKGROUND: Use of task-layering to orient new graduate nurses to the clinical world of nursing has been theorized to provide a decrease in cognitive load and allow for more streamlined clinical orientation. METHODS: The method of this study was a nonrandomized, comparative design to measure the outcomes of length of orientation, new graduate perceptions about level of confidence/comfort with professional nurse responsibilities/skills, stress, satisfaction, and perceptions about orientation. RESULTS: Analysis revealed no statistical significance between the 2 groups. However, the task-layered clinical orientation group completed orientation earlier than the traditional patient-layered group. CONCLUSIONS: The task-layered approach to clinical orientation provided as good of outcomes as traditional orientation strategy and may result in cost savings due to decrease in total clinical orientation days.

Connecting the DOTs in Clinical Orientation: The Daily Orientation Tracker.

Newly hired nurses often complete orientation to the acute care setting with multiple preceptors, and communication about orientation progress has the potential to be disjointed. Traditionally, orientation has been tracked using various formats relying on pen and paper. The Daily Orientation Tracker or DOT, created by preceptors and nurse educators, has pushed communication into an accessible, user-friendly format found to be successful for the orientation of new nurses. Information about how the DOT was developed and implemented as well as data describing the empirical success of the DOT are shared.