Running head: NURSING MENTORSHIP AND NURSING RETENTION

Research Proposal: Nurse Mentorship and Nurse Retention

Corinne Bradley, Theresa Connors, Amy Herrington, Jessica McClusky, Jennifer McDermitt, &
Sarah Rousseau
Ferris State University

NURSING MENTORSHIP AND NURSING RETENTION

CHAPTER 3: DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Research Proposal: Nurse Mentorship and Nursing Retention
With the current nursing shortage and the projected nursing need in the next 10-15 years,
retention of nursing staff is critical. New graduate nurses (GN) face many challenges in the
transition to professional practice increasing their stress and anxiety (Welding, 2011). This level
of stress results in extremely high turnover rates in the first year of practice totaling 30% up to
50% of GNs (Hillman & Foster, 2011). It is imperative that GNs have adequate support to
ensure their successful transition into practice.
Chapter 3 focuses on the design of the research and the methodology of data collection
and analysis. The chapter will support the proposed research question; what is the relationship
between nurse mentorship programs and nursing retention among new graduate nurses? In
developing the design and methodology the theoretical framework of the Modeling and Role
Modeling theory are considered throughout. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the
research design, the setting and sample, methodology, data analysis, reliability and validity,
limitations/delimitations, and ethical concerns of the proposed research.
Research Design
For the purpose of the proposed study the research design to be utilized will be a nonequivalent control group quasi-experimental design. This type of research design incorporates an
experimental and comparison group who are evaluated before and after the intervention is
implemented (Polit & Beck, 2012). For the proposed study three hospitals will be utilized to
study the effect of nursing mentorship on nursing retention of GNs. One hospital will be utilized
as the comparison group and continue with already established orientation of GNs. The study
will occur over a one year time period. The authors of the proposal chose to utilize an actual
comparison group in lieu of a historical comparison group to increase the validity of the study.
To increase the reliability and validity of the study a pre and post-test will be performed
prior to implementation of the mentorship program. Assessing retention rates at the hospitals

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involved in the study pre and post-test will allow the true impact of nursing mentorship to be
seen. Polit and Beck (2012) suggest using the pre and post-test method when change is to be
implemented. One weakness of the pre and post-test method is that the pre-test has the potential
to change the results of interest (Polit & Beck, 2012).
Latham, Ringl, and Hogan (2011) utilized a quasi-experimental research design when
studying retention rates where mentorship programs were implemented in two southern
hospitals. The literature supports the use of such design in evaluating how mentorship affects
retention. One of the weaknesses of the research conducted by Latham et al. (2011) were that a
comparison group was not utilized, sparking the decision of the authors to utilize a comparison
group. The article utilized both new and senior nurses, leading to the desire to find the
correlation between GNs and nursing retention.
Sample and Setting
The target population for this study will include a sample of GNs commencing their first
registered nursing position. This will include all GNs regardless of graduation date. GNs with
various demographics (age, sex, race) will be recruited, as well as both associate-prepared and
bachelors-prepared GNs. The GNs will be recruited at four Detroit area hospitals. The GNs
participating must be willing to share their experience in the mentorship program.
The study will utilize a convenience sample at each of the four hospitals. This sampling
method involves utilizing nurses that are available at the time the research is conducted (Polit &
Beck, 2012). Convenience sampling is the weakest form of sampling because it may not be
representative of the population (Polit & Beck, 2012). This type of sampling will be utilized in
this study due to time constraints, limited resources, limited accessibility of new graduate nurses
in nurse mentorship programs, as well as to have an increase in sample size for this study.
The setting will include four Detroit area hospitals. Three hospitals will adopt an
identical mentorship program design, while one hospital will maintain the current preceptor
orientation program. All of the four hospitals are general medical and surgical hospitals and

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teaching hospitals. Saint John Hospital and Medical Center is located in Detroit, Michigan and
has 620 beds. Henry Ford Hospital is a 773 bed hospital located in Detroit, Michigan. Also,
located in Detroit is Sinai-Grace Hospital which has 334 beds. Located in Dearborn, Michigan
about 9 miles from downtown Detroit is Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center, a 529 bed
facility (U.S. News, 2013).
Methods
Participants will be informed about this study at the beginning of the mentorship
program. All questionnaires will be codified and remain anonymous. After core orientation
classes have been completed and prior to beginning the mentorship program, graduate nurses
will be mailed, the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale, the Index of Work Satisfaction Questionnaire
and the Demographic Information Sheet. Nurse Mentees will be allowed to view videos of their
mentors describing their strengths, weaknesses, and why they want to be a mentor. After viewing
these videos, mentees will be allowed to choose their top three mentors. Nurse educators will
review their choices and pair them according to their highest preference if possible. The mentee
will work in a married state with the mentor for three months, meaning they will share the same
assignment. The mentee will take the entire patient assignment and the mentor will act as the
mentees resource and guide.
The mentor will complete two 8 hour training sessions regarding how to be a mentor. The
class includes learning style, competency assessment, socialization strategies, and resource
utilization. The mentor also will have weekly meetings with the unit educator for the first three
months to discuss the progress of the mentee. Following the completion of the three month
married state; the mentee will be included in staffing. The mentor and mentee will continue to
work the same schedule for the next nine months. At this time the mentor will serve as the
mentees primary resource. Throughout, the remaining nine months the mentee will have

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monthly meetings with the educator to assess how the mentee is transitioning to the role of a
registered nurse.
At the end of one year, the graduate nurse will be mailed the Expanded Nursing Stress
Scale, the Index of Work Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Mentorship Program Evaluation, and
the Demographic Information Sheet. Participation in the mentorship program is mandatory but
completion of the questionnaires is voluntary. When questionnaires are returned to the
researchers via self-addressed stamped envelopes, data will be entered into the researchers data
base and paper surveys will be destroyed.
In this study, the relationship between mentorship programs and nursing retention are the
two variables that are being assessed. At the same time, the following confounding variables will
be measured: stress, performance anxiety, fear of making mistakes, time constraints, lack of
support, difficulty with delegation, prioritization, and time management. The qualities of the
mentoring relationship will also be measured to determine what effect these variables have on
nursing retention rates.
The Expanded Nursing Stress Scale will be measured prior to implementation of the
nurse mentorship program and after completion of the nurse mentorship program. The Expanded
Nursing Stress Scale will be utilized to measure the confounding variable of stress. It is
composed of 59 items on a five point scale that describes situations that have been identified as
causing stress for nurses as they perform their duties (McGilton, Hall, Wodchis & Petroz, 2007).
The scale measures nine domains: death and dying, conflict with physicians, inadequate
preparation, problems with peers, problems with supervisors, workload, uncertainty concerning
treatment, patients and their families, and discrimination. This tool was demonstrated to have an
alpha coefficient of .82.
To address the variable of work satisfaction, the Index of Work Satisfaction
Questionnaire (Stamps, 2001) will be completed prior to the implementation of the nurse

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mentorship program as well as after completion of the program. The Index of Work Satisfaction
Questionnaire measures how satisfied nurses are with their job (Damit, 2005). This is a two part
tool that measures six areas of job satisfaction which include pay, autonomy, task requirements,
organizational policies, professional status, and interaction. This tool helps to measure areas
besides mentorship that can affect nursing retention rates.
In order to maintain the integrity of Ericksons assertations and avoid internal validity
threats, the nurse mentee will self-evaluate their attainment of these assertations. The following
assertations will be evaluated: basic human needs are met, satisfactions of needs are supported,
and utilization of resources (Erickson, 2010). The mentoring relationship can also be a
confounding variable and will be evaluated by the mentee in the mentorship evaluation tool.
Personal qualities, professional skills, time commitment and role modeling will be evaluated by
the mentee.
Nursing retention rates will be measured. This information will be reported from each of
the human resource departments to the researchers. Nursing retention rates will be calculated
using a standard formula.
By measuring confounding variables, they will be controlled so that the relationship
between the nurse mentorship program and nursing retention rates can be isolated (Wood &
Ross-Kerr, 2012). In order to manage constant error of social desirability and acquiescent
response set, all participants will receive the same information via a scripted presentation prior to
beginning the mentorship program (Wood & Ross-Kerr, 2012). This also will be controlled by
all of the participants receiving the surveys in the mail.
Data Analysis
For the purpose of this proposed study the data will be analyzed using a statistical
software system called Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). It is specifically
designed to deal with data and generate statistics (Dimsdale & Kutner, 2004). Advanced
statistical procedures are typically necessary in quasi-experimental research, largely due to the

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lack of randomization (Dimsdale & Kutner, 2004). For the proposed study, measures of central
tendency and other descriptive statistics will be used to summarize demographic and work
environment data using frequency distribution tables. Descriptive and multivariate statistics will
also be used to analyze data. The relationships among the data will be examined using t-tests and
ANOVA analyses to test for differences between groups.
Before any analysis can begin, the level of measurement must be identified. For the
proposed study, the level of measurement is ratio. Ratio is continuous, ordered, has standardized
differences between values, and has a natural zero (Polit & Beck, 2012). The level of
measurement will help to discern what kind of comparisons will need to be made.
The first step in analyzing the data is to use methods such as matching and coding and
this can be achieved by creating data tables and applying them to the study. This will allow the
group to identify the patterns and develop a comprehensive picture of what the data looks like
(Polit & Beck, 2012). It is also an approach used to control for potential confounding variables
(Polit & Beck, 2012). A frequency distribution will help to organize the data of individuals or
scores located in each category (Polit & Beck, 2012). This will help to determine if scores are
entered correctly, if scores are high or low, how many are in each category, and the spread of
scores (Polit & Beck, 2012). A percent distribution may also be used to display the proportion of
participants who are represented within each category (Polit & Beck, 2012). For the purpose of
the purposed study, the distribution and central tendency characteristics for each variable will be
described. The correlation will also be calculated to find a relationship between the mentored
and non-mentored group without making any claims about causation (Polit & Beck, 2012). A pvalue will be reported representing the strength of the relationship between the two variables
(Polit & Beck, 2012).
The next step in data analysis is to describe the data set. This can be accomplished by
using descriptive statistics such as measures of central tendency calculating the mean; the

NURSING MENTORSHIP AND NURSING RETENTION

numerical average of scores for a particular variable, median; the numerical middle point or
score that cuts the distribution in half for a particular variable, and mode; the most common
number score or value for a particular variable (Polit & Beck, 2012). Descriptive statistics are
used to describe the basic features of the data in a study (Polit & Beck, 2012). They provide
simple summaries about the sample and the measures (Polit & Beck, 2012). Measures of
variability such as range and standard deviation (SD) will also be useful here. The SD is more
precise and a comprehensive estimate of distribution because an outlier can greatly influence the
range (Polit & Beck, 2012). The SD shows the relation that set of scores has to the mean of the
sample (Polit & Beck, 2012). It allows the group to reach some conclusions about specific
scores in the distribution if the scores are normal (Trochim, 2006).
In the proposed study the qualities of a mentor will be analyzed from the evaluation of
the mentorship program using basic descriptive statistics including mean and SD. The domains
of the Modeling/Role Modeling Theory will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA
to ascertain any disparity between the groups including age, gender, and hospital.
Inferential statistics are used to make judgments of the probability that an observed difference
between groups is dependable or one that might have happened by chance in this study (Polit &
Beck, 2012). In the proposed study, to analyze the Nonequivalent Groups Design (NEGD) the
data will be entered into the SPSS. Comparisons will need to be made between the comparison
and experimental groups in pre and post-test samples. This will show if there is a tendency that
more GNs are retained after participation in a mentorship versus no participation in a mentorship
program, utilizing a bivariate analysis to test the studys hypothesis. A combination of the results
of this summary will be used to calculate the chi-square test of the hypothesis that the proportion
of mentored GNs retained will be higher than GNs that are not mentored. Chi-square is a
statistical test commonly used to compare observed data with data that the group would expect to

NURSING MENTORSHIP AND NURSING RETENTION

obtain according to a specific hypothesis (Polit & Beck, 2012). It allows researchers to test
whether the differences in behavior between two samples are large enough in the research study
being performed that the differences can be generalized to the population in the study (Polit &
Beck, 2012). The t-test will also be used to compare the mentored group and non-mentored
group. The t-test is a statistical test that is used to determine if there is a significant difference
between the mean scores of two groups (Polit & Beck, 2012).
Finally a multi regression analysis will be performed to determine if the mentorship
program interacted with any more independent variables that could affect retention. Since there
are multiple variables involved, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) will also be calculated using
the SPSS. Regression analysis procedures such as linear and Poisson will assist in controlling
confounding variables (Polit & Beck, 2012). This can be achieved by evaluating the separate
trends for the mentored and non-mentored group and comparing the differences in changes in
trends between two groups. In the proposed study, some of the confounding variables include
performance anxiety, fear of making mistakes, time constraints, lack of support, difficulty with
delegation, prioritization, time management, and stress level. One way to prevent this is to
measure the experimental and control group on the control variable using multiple regression
analysis in the SPSS to control for the variable (Johnson & Burke, 2007). The most common
control variable in the nonequivalent control group design is the pretest measure of the
dependent variable; that is you use statistical control (ANCOVA) to see if the experimental and
control groups posttest scores on the dependent variable significantly differ, on average, after
controlling for differences on the pretest measure (Johnson & Christensen, 2008, p.517).
ANCOVA is used to establish the relationship between one categorical independent variable
(gender) and one quantitative dependent variable (retention) controlling for one or more
quantitative extraneous variables (stress level) (Johnson & Christensen, 2008). A factor analysis

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10

may also be helpful in the proposed study because of the large number of variables associated
with the scales/tools utilized in the study. This will help to reduce the number of variables and to
detect any possible existing relationships between or among them (Polit & Beck, 2012). Because
analyzing quasi-experimental data is challenging and rarely discussed in introductory
biostatistics courses, collaboration between investigators, epidemiologists, and statisticians is
recommended (Shardell, Harris, El-Kamary, Furono, Miller, and Perencevich, 2007).
Table 1
Demographic characteristics of the study population
Variable

N=

Table 2
Comparison of study

Gender

group by demographic

Male

data

Female
Age
Variable
Study Group
Work experience
Status
Gender
Part Time

Control Group
Experimental

Mean

Standard
Deviation

Control

Experimental
Full Time
Age
Control
Number of hours worked in a
Experimental
day
Work
Control
Ethnicity
Experimental
Experience
White
Status
Control
Black
Experimental
Asian
Number of
Control
Native American
Experimental
hours worked
Latino
Ethnicity
Study
Group

N=

Control

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11

Experimental

Table 3
Means, standard deviations and Ns for the pretest, and posttest for the four outcome variables
and t-test for difference.
Saint John
Treatment

Pretest

Posttest

Mean
sd
N

t=

p<.05

Henry Ford

Pretest

Treatment

Posttest

Mean
sd
N

t=

p<.05

Sinai-Grace

Pretest

Control

Posttest

Mean
sd
N

t=

p<.05

Oakwood

Pretest

Posttest

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Treatment

12

Mean
sd
N

t=

p<.05

Table 4
Differences in Mentee Pre and Post Expanded Nursing Stress Scale scores
Expanded Nurse Stress Scale
n
M
SD
T test
P
Death and Dying
Pre
Post
Conflict with Physicians
Pre
Post
Inadequate Emotional Preparation Pre
Post
Problems Relating to Peers
Pre
Post
Problems Relating to Supervisors
Pre
Post
Work Load
Pre
Post
Table 5
Differences in Mentee Pre and Post scores for the Index of Work Satisfaction Questionaire
Index of Work Satisfaction Questionaire n
M
SD
T test
P
Pay
Pre
Post
Autonomy
Pre
Post
Task Requirement
Pre
Post
Organizational Policies
Pre
Post
Interaction
Pre
Post
Professional Status
Pre
Post
Nonequivalent Comparison Group Design
O1
Xtreatment group
O2
----------------------------------O1
Xcontrol group

O2

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Pretest Measure

Independent variable

(mentorship)

13

Posttest Measure (Dependent variable)

(Dependent variable)

(Retention)

(Retention)
(Johnson & Christensen, 2008)
Extraneous Variables (Control variables)
Age
Anxiety level
Learning style
Socioeconomic status
Stress level
Ethnicity
Personality type
Gender
Bivariate Form of the General Linear Model: Y = 0 1X1
Simple Multivariate Form of the General Linear Model: Y = 0 1X1 2X2 ... kXk
(Johnson & Christensen, 2008)
Reliability and Validity
There are two important aspects of any research conducted; they are checking the
reliability and validity of the instruments used. The information gathered through the study must
be reliable and valid to increase acceptance within the scientific community. Polit and Beck
(2012) define reliability as the consistency with which it measures the target attribute (p. 331).
The ability of an instrument to measure what it is intended to measure is its validity (Polit &
Beck, 2012). If the methods with which the information is gathered are inconsistent, then the
information is unreliable and a measuring device that is unreliable cannot be valid (Polit &
Beck, 2012, p. 336).
Reliability conveys how accurate the results are, through repeated testing of the
instruments used in the research, ideally under the same conditions. If the results of multiple
retests are the same the instrument is considered reliable (Polit & Beck, 2012). The reliability of
the instruments used for this study can be assessed in different ways, but the key points are the
same.
Stability and equivalence will be the focus for measuring the reliability of the instruments
used. Stability of the instrument refers to the degree that similar results are obtained with
separate testing. This will help focus on any issues that may affect the instruments vulnerability
to unrelated influences after a period of time (Polit & Beck, 2012). To assess the stability of the

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instrument test -and retesting procedures must be involved. Test and retest will be completed for
this research when the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale is given to the participants of the study at
different times and results will be compared. Internal Equivalence is important to the reliability
of the instruments used in this proposed research. Polit & Beck (2012) say equivalence
primarily concerns the degree to which two or more independent observers or coders agree
about scoring (p. 334). The Index of Work Satisfaction Questionnaire is an important
measurement tool for the proposed research, and coders need to have a high level of agreement
(Polit & Beck, 2012). If the coders are in agreement to the extent of relevance of each question
then the belief is that errors in measurement are decreased (Polit & Beck, 2012).
Validity is the second piece in evaluating the instruments used. If an instrument used in
research produces unreliable results it cannot be considered valid. Validation of an instrument is
done by building evidence to support its validity (Polit & Beck, 2012). There are different ways
to gather evidence for the validity of an instrument. Validity for this study will be identified
through face validity and content validity.
Face validity simply refers to whether the instrument appears to measure what it is
intended to measure (Polit & Beck, 2012). The Index of Work Satisfaction Questionnaire fits
this example; it appears to those participating in the study to be directly related to the study. The
questions address the topic of study and allow the participants to provide their feedback. The
Demographic Information Sheet on the other hand may not appear to the participants as a valid
form of information. Extra work may need to be completed in order for participants to either
utilize this tool or provide an explanation as to the relevance of the information gathered.
Content validity looks at how relative the questions are to the topic of study (Polit &
Beck, 2012). The Index of Work Satisfaction Questionnaire is very relative to the topic of study.
This questionnaire measures the satisfaction of the nurses position. The questionnaire will be

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given before the subjects participate in the study and then again when the program is completed.
This will also contribute to the testing and retesting of the instruments.
Limitations and Delimitations
As with any study there are limitations and delimitations, this study is not any different.
Limitations to a study include things that are out of the researchers control. There are a few
limitations that may have an effect on the results of the study. The four Detroit area hospitals
chosen to participate agree to adopt a mentorship program for their new GNs. The mentorship
program will come is an unspecified financial commitment that becomes the responsibility of the
hospital. The chosen hospitals may not be able to absorb such a cost for the duration of the
research. Another limitation considered is that of the participants. Mentors and mentees that
choose to participate may not complete the program. There are also personality differences
amongst the participants, resulting in mid-research changes in participants that need to be
considered as a limitation to the research.
Delimitations of a study are those that are in the control of the researchers. Delimitations
to this study include participants and the hospital settings chosen. The participants will be both
associate-prepared and bachelors-prepared GNs; this may have an effect on the results of their
experiences as both are prepared for the profession in different ways. The instruments used in
this study does not account for such differences. Due to the time constraints of the research the
participant pool may also be limited based on the number of new GNs hired at the selected
hospitals. The setting where the participants work will also be considered a delimitation of the
research. The four hospitals chosen are from only the city of Detroit, and may potentially yield
results that may differ from hospitals in small cities, or rural areas. Further studies could include
hospitals from across the country, and GNs that are either associate-prepared or bachelorsprepared.
Ethical Considerations

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Since the proposed research deals directly with human subjects, many ethical
considerations must be evaluated. The first is informed consent. According to Polit and Beck
(2012), informed consent involves providing the participants with as much information about the
research as possible. Additionally, this should validate that the participants understand the
content enough to have the ability to voluntarily consent or decline to join the study. In order to
do this, risks and benefits of the research should be fully disclosed. Polit & Beck (2012) state
that a complete informed consent should include information regarding: participant status, study
goals, type of data, procedures, nature of the commitment, sponsorship, participant selection,
potential risks, potential benefits, alternatives, compensation, confidentiality, voluntary consent,
right to withdraw and withhold information, and contact information. In order to show informed
consent, the study participants will be provided all of the above information, and will be asked to
sign a consent form stating they understand and are voluntary participants in the research.
Study participants rights will also be protected by assuring right to privacy. To do this,
all survey data tool responses will be completed anonymously, meaning the researchers will not
be able to link the responses to the exact study participant (Polit & Beck, 2012). This will be
achieved through final survey results being sent through the mail.
Additionally, the concept of beneficence is important to consider throughout the study,
from proposal to finish. Beneficence strives to minimize harm and maximize benefits (Polit &
Beck, 2012, p. 152) for the research participants. To do this, the risks and benefits of any
proposed study must be weighed carefully, as to not place the study subjects at any risk, even
temporary ones (Polit & Beck, 2012). This is achieved in our proposal by proving both the
control and experimental groups with appropriate and safe hospital orientations to allow them to
be successful nurses. Furthermore, care will be taken to be sensitive to the timing of the research

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in the participants careers. The first year of employment can be a possibly stressful time and the
researchers will be mindful of this when conducting surveys (Polit & Beck, 2012).
Fouka and Mantzorou (2011) discuss the need for debriefing after completion of the
research. Debriefing allows the participants to express any feelings of discomfort or have
questions answered, leaving them at ease and comfortable with their experience (Fouka &
Mantzorou, 2011). The researchers will provide a thorough debriefing for all study subjects, and
will refer them to the appropriate resources if discomfort or anxiety still exists following the
session.
Finally, since this proposed research will be done utilizing human subjects, the full
research proposal will be submitted to an Institutional Review Board (IRB). An IRB is a
committee that is in charge of evaluating research proposals against the strict federal guidelines
for the appropriate treatment of human participants. The main requirements include minimizing
risks and maximizing benefits, using informed consent, and ensuring participant safety, privacy,
and confidentiality (Polit & Beck, 2012). By submitting and gaining IRB approval, the
researchers will show the plan for appropriate treatment of their participants. To further
strengthen the ethical considerations of the proposed research study, all members of the research
team will complete ethics education training and certification through the Collaborative
Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). The completion of ethics training will demonstrate ethical
awareness and knowledge in all those interacting with the study participants (Polit & Beck,
2012).
Summary
The proposed research will utilize a non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental
design, incorporating both a comparison and experimental group. This was decided after
reviewing literature that cited lack of comparison group as a limitation of current research. The
population for the research study will include GNs starting their first position as a registered

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18

nurse. The GNs will be chosen using a convenience sample from four Detroit, Michigan
hospitals. Three of these hospitals will adopt the proposed mentorship program design, while one
will continue with its current orientation program.
The mentees will be paired with a mentor from the hospital, with whom they will work
with for one year. The first three months will be in a married assignment, with the mentee caring
for patients and using the mentor as a guide. The pair will continue to work the same schedule,
though in independent patient assignments, for the subsequent nine months. The GNs will
complete the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale and the Index of Work Satisfaction Questionnaire
both prior to and at the end of the mentorship program. These will help the researchers measure
stress, performance anxiety, fear of making mistakes, time constraints, lack of support, and
difficulty with delegation, prioritization, and time management.
The data will be analyzed using the SPSS software. The relationships among the data will
be examined using t-tests and ANOVA analyses. The qualities of a mentor will be measured
using descriptive statistics including mean and SD. A multi regression analysis will be performed
to determine if the mentorship program interacted with any independent variables that could
have affected retention. Data will be organized and provided in easy to read tables and charts to
illustrate important findings.
Reliability and validity are established through the research proposal. The alpha
coefficient of the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale is .82. Stability is established using instrument
test/re-test. Confounding variables will be evaluated in the mentorship evaluation tool. Face and
content validity are established for the survey tools as well. Additionally, the retention rates of
the hospitals will be tested pre and post program implementation.
Limitations of the study include the possible inability of participating hospitals to
financially support the program for the duration of a year, and mentor/mentee incompatibilities
that may result in changes during the study. Delimitations include not differentiating between

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19

associates and bachelors prepared GNs, and also choosing all metropolitan area hospitals. Ethical
standards will be upheld in the research using informed consent, minimizing harm to
participants, protecting privacy and anonymity, debriefing, review and approval from an IRB,
and researcher ethics training and certification.
It is the intent of the researchers that this study will provide additional and beneficial
information to the pool of research surrounding new GNs. With the current nursing shortage,
retention of this population is vital. Increased stress during the first year of employment leads to
high turnover rates during this vulnerable time. The proposed research hopes to provide more
evidence towards the unique needs of GNs, in turn highlighting methods that are most
appropriate for orientation and support.

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Appendix A
Respondent Number _____
Mentorship Program Survey
Post Intervention
Demographics
1. Gender
a. Female
b. Male
2. Age
a. Below 30 years
b. Between 30 and 45 years
c. Between 46 and 55 years
d. Over 55 years
3. Marital Status
a. Married
b. Single
4. What is your highest educational degree completed?
a. Associates
b. Diploma
c. Bachelors
d. Masters
e. Doctorate
Appendix B
Evaluation of Mentorship Program

Strongly
Agree
I felt like I was
provided adequate
time for breaks and
lunch.
I felt like my mentor
was open to my
questions and concerns
and responded in a
comforting manner
I felt my mentor was
supportive to me
throughout this year

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

NURSING MENTORSHIP AND NURSING RETENTION

The length of the
mentorship program
was appropriate
I felt like the mentor I
was paired with was a
good match
I was satisfied with the
mentorship program
I am satisfied with my
decision to work here
I feel comfortable with
managing the tasks
assigned within my
shift
I feel comfortable with
delegation
I feel comfortable with
delegating tasks
I am afraid of making
mistakes
My mentor was
committed to the
mentoring relationship
My mentor provided
me with honest
feedback
My mentor was
supportive
My mentor was a role
model
My mentor was
compassionate
My mentor was
enthusiastic
My mentor was
generous
My mentor was honest
My mentor was
insightful
My mentor was a
skilled clinician
My mentor was a

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NURSING MENTORSHIP AND NURSING RETENTION

guide for me
throughout the
mentorship program

24

NURSING MENTORSHIP AND NURSING RETENTION

25

Appendix C
Two other tools will be utilized and can be recovered at the following links:
Index of Work Satisfaction Questionnaire:
https://fsulearn.ferris.edu/courses/1/XLIST_10370.201301/db/_462603_1/Index%20of%20Work
%20Sastisfaction%20Questionnaire.pdf
Expanded Nursing Stress Scale:
https://fsulearn.ferris.edu/courses/1/XLIST_10370.201301/db/_462606_1/Expanded%20Nursing
%20Stress%20Scale.pdf