Nurse Executives' Perceptions of the Executive Training for Research Application (EXTRA) Program.

BACKGROUND: To improve the overall quality and effectiveness of the Canadian health care system through better decisions supported by research-based evidence (RBE), the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) and partners have created the Executive Training for Research Application (EXTRA) program. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate how nurse executive fellows perceive changes in their levels of knowledge of RBE and in their level of use of RBE following participation in the EXTRA program. METHODS: Nurse executives in the first four cohorts of the program (2004-2007) completed a survey during their 2-year fellowship period. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements were observed regarding nurse executives' perceived knowledge and use of RBE. According to the participants, the EXTRA fellowship contributes to their role and function in their organization by providing tools, learning, and access to resources and networking, which contributes to their credibility, leadership, and knowledge transfer skills. CONCLUSIONS: The EXTRA program has been structured to reduce barriers and to enhance the facilitators found in the literature on the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBP) in health care settings. Overall, nurse executives perceived that the benefits of participating in the EXTRA program were both individual and organizational.

Relational dimensions of a positive integration experience for new mental health nurses.

This study investigated the key aspects of a successful integration experience into mental health nursing from the perspectives of new nurses working in a psychiatric institution. Analysis of 10 semistructured interviews revealed that the relational atmosphere in which new nurses find themselves is determinant of their satisfaction with their integration experience. Quality relational connections with patients constitute the primary motivation of new nurses in choosing a career in mental health. At the same time, quality relational connections between and among team members sustain such motivation. Conversely, a negative relational atmosphere sets the stage for new nurses to experience disillusionment and despair.

Turnover intention among new nurses: a generational perspective.

With the current nursing shortage, it is crucial to understand the aspects of the nursing work environment that are related to turnover in new generation nurses. The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index was administered to new nurses in Quebec from different generations to determine what domains of the work environment were related to turnover intention. Results can help nurses in leadership and development positions target interventions to retain new graduates.

The needs and expectations of generation Y nurses in the workplace.

Generation Y nurses represent the new nursing workforce. This article describes a study examining the needs, motivations, and expectations of generation Y nurses at the start of their careers. New nurses, on average 24.1 years old in 2007, were interviewed. The generation Y nurses reported that recognition was a key motivator. Their needs are stability, flexible work schedules and shifts, recognition, opportunities for professional development, and adequate supervision.

Creating a healthy workplace for new-generation nurses.

PURPOSE: To examine dimensions of the psychosocial work environment that influence the psychological health of new-generation nurses. BACKGROUND: While much work has been done concerning the health of nurses in general, research on the relationship between the nursing work environment and the psychological well-being of new-generation nurses at the start of their careers is limited. DESIGN: A correlational descriptive design was used for this quantitative study. Survey data were collected from new nurses (N=309) whose names were obtained from a provincial licensing registry in Quebec, Canada. FINDINGS: Among new nurses, 43.4% stated that they have a high level of psychological distress. These nurses were significantly more likely to perceive an imbalance between effort expended on the job and rewards received, low decisional latitude, high psychological demands, high job strain, as well as low social support from colleagues and superiors (p < or = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the relationship between the work environment and health as experienced by new-generation nurses is imperative for creating interventions to successfully recruit and retain these young nurses. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Generation Y nurses in Quebec, faced with high levels of psychological distress because of their exposure to difficult nursing work environments, might leave the profession thereby exacerbating an already salient nursing shortage.