Coaching and Retention of Early Career Pediatric Nurses

Background Early career nurses with 1 to 2 years of experience are offered minimal structured support after onboarding. During this period, nurses often contemplate their next career steps without guidance, sometimes leaving an organization. Method A quantitative quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine whether career coaching focused on professional development and mentorship would (a) increase retention and (b) improve engagement of pediatric nurses with 1 to 2 years of experience. Results Participant retention remained 100% throughout the study. Nonparticipant retention dropped to 96% at 12 weeks postintervention and 94% at 20 weeks postintervention. Engagement scores increased after the career coaching sessions, with no statistically significant difference in mean values for engagement pre- and postintervention ( t = −1.06, df = 8.00, p = .320). Conclusion Engagement improved postintervention. Retention was greater for participants than for nonparticipants. Increasing nurse retention positively impacts professional, financial, and patient care outcomes for nurses and the health care community.