Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
Committee Chair
Amelia Lanz
Committee Member
Audrey Kuntz
Subject(s)
Rural nurses, Nursing services--Personnel management, Nursing services--Administration, Mentoring in nursing, Employee retention
Abstract
High nurse turnover creates a significant staffing issue in many hospitals, particularly in rural acute care facilities. This DNP project implemented a new nurse mentoring program using an evidence-based, structured approach to reduce graduate nurse attrition in a rural healthcare setting. The program incorporated structured mentor-mentee matching, comprehensive mentor role development, and evidence-based evaluation tools to assess the effectiveness of the mentoring model in reducing graduate nurse turnover. An examination of the literature supports these elements as essential components of a successful mentoring program, promoting retention, strengthening professional development, and improving patient outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Melody E., "Improving rural nurse retention : the impact of an evidence-based mentoring program" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). 155.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-dnp/155