Employment and Retention of Nurses Who Completed an Internship and Residency Program

Background: The University of New Mexico Hospitals (UNMH) nurse residency and UNM College of Nursing nurse internship programs began in 2003 and 2004, respectively. This study evaluated the effectiveness of these programs in increasing RN hiring and retention. Method: Existing data from academic and human resources records were analyzed. Differences between demographic characteristics were assessed using descriptive statistics, and differences between groups were assessed with chi-square tests. Results: Of 472 interns, 85.6% were hired by the UNMH. After 1 year, 341 continued their employment. Of RNs (n = 203) who could have been employed for 5 years, 43.3% remained at the UNMH. There were no differences in initial and 1-year RN employment based on age, gender, race, or ethnicity. RNs employed for 5 years were more likely to be male. Conclusion: The nurse internship program provided students with experience, knowledge, skills, and income. The UNMH hired graduate nurses and increased employee retention. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020;51(11):504-508.]