Creation of a stepdown nurse internship program.

Abstract

Within Christiana Care Health System, an opportunity evolved to develop a nurse recruitment strategy for our stepdown units. Being a large teaching system, there was specific need for nursing education at this entry level. Through collaboration of nursing colleagues, the Stepdown Nurse Internship Program was created. The program encompassed clinical orientation and didactic classes. Of notable significance at the completion of the program were the Basic Knowledge Assessment Test score improvement and the nurse retention rate.