Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
8-4-2025
First Advisor
Sandy King
Second Advisor
Beverly Clark
Abstract
High turnover among Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) creates significant challenges for healthcare delivery, continuity of care, and organizational costs. Despite convincing evidence supporting the use of mentorship programs to improve job satisfaction and retention, structured mentor education remains underutilized in many outpatient settings. This quality improvement project assessed the impact of a structured mentor education program on APRN self-efficacy related to mentoring competence. A single-group, pre-post design was implemented in one primary care department. Six APRNs completed an evidence-based mentor education module. Self-efficacy was measured using the Mentor Competence Assessment (MCA) survey administered immediately before and after education. Paired samples t-tests were used to assess changes in mean MCA scores. Participants showed a statistically significant increase in mentoring self-efficacy, with mean MCA scores rising from 5.67 (SD = 0.45) pre-intervention to 6.36 (SD = 0.47) post-intervention. These findings align with prior research, which has demonstrated the positive effects of mentor development programs on mentor performance and confidence. This pilot project confirms that a low-cost, department-wide mentor education program can substantially enhance APRN mentoring self-efficacy. By leveraging existing staff and educational resources, the intervention offers a scalable framework for broader adoption. Establishing structured mentorship is expected to enhance staff engagement, reduce turnover, and foster a stronger organizational culture, ultimately leading to higher-quality, more consistent patient care.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Kent, James Caleb, "Quality Improvement Project Improving Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Self-Efficacy and Retention Through a Structured Mentorship Program" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 154.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/154
