Improving Communication and Collaboration Skills in Graduate Nurses: An Evidence-based Approach

New graduate nurses (NGN) often have an idealistic view of nursing compared to the reality of providing complex patient care. NGNs may lack communication and collaborations skills needed to effectively interact with challenging patients, families, and interdisciplinary teams, leading to stress and burnout. This evidence-based quality improvement project provided NGNs an opportunity to practice communication and collaboration techniques within a nurse residency program (NRP). Two scenarios with role-playing and debriefing were developed to practice communication techniques to enhance NGNs’ confidence. Results indicate the NRP improved these skills in NGNs. NRPs may assist NGNs transition to practice and successful integration into the registered nurse (RN) role.