A comprehensive ED orientation for new graduates in the emergency department

Abstract

Canada could face a shortage of up to 113,000 registered nurses by the year 2011. 1 Sibbald B The future supply of registered nurses in Canada. Can Nurse. 1998; 94: 6-7 Google Scholar Furthermore, with the restructuring of health care in Canada, emergency departments have become busier, often functioning as the core of a health care system in trouble. 2 Wong FWH Learning group: facilitating the adaptation of new nurses to the specialty unit. J Cont Educ Nurs. 2000; 31: 209-212 PubMed Google Scholar , 3 Rudzik J Establishing and maintaining competency. J Intravenous Nurs. 1999; 22: 69-73 PubMed Google Scholar , 4 Mathews JJ Nunley C Rejuvenating orientation to increase nurse satisfaction and retention. J Nurs Staff Develop. 1992; 8: 159-164 PubMed Google Scholar At this time, it can take 60 days to fill a nursing vacancy for an experienced nurse in an emergency department, in contrast to 20 days to recruit a new graduate for a general medical-surgical unit. 5 McGill University Health Center Human Resource Department Internal memo. The Department, Montreal2000 Google Scholar Considering the current nursing shortage, it will be even more difficult to recruit nursing students.