Abstract
Background: NGN retention is a concern in the US, with 23.8% turnover rate costing hospitals an average of $56,277 per nurse. Healthcare organizations must adopt strategies to retain and engage NGNs. Currently, applicants choose work units based on staffing needs or preferences, not personal assessment (strengths, communication style, personality). Self-reflection when choosing a practice setting could enhance job satisfaction and reduce burnout. Person-job fit moderates n job performance and compassion fatigue, while lifestyle factors influence retention. No reliable tool exists for guiding NGNs in assessing work and lifestyle preferences
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the UIS, an instrument designed to guide personal assessment of work and lifestyle preferences, determine if the UIS influences decision-making regarding first professional role and if it impacts the choice of pediatric setting.
Methods: The MEASURE approach was utilized to guide instrument development, validation, and pilot testing. Initial item generation was conducted by an expert nurse residency coordinator. End users provided qualitative face validity assessment. Instrument validity was evaluated through a content validity index. Once initial validity was established, the UIS was piloted. The UIS was made public to all users on the organizational website. Survey takers could opt into the pilot study, immediately following completion of the UIS and six months later.
Results: The UIS guides reflection in 3 areas: scheduling and setting, workflow and pace, and patient population and interactions. After each category, NGNs review selections and clinical practice areas that match their preferences. Initial face validity of the CVI was assessed by 63 RNs, resulting in a CVI score of 0.83, above the acceptable scale-level threshold of 0.80. In the study, 72 nursing students or registered nurses provided feedback after completing the UIS, with 66% (n=48) reporting that the UIS caused them to consider new or alternative reasons for choosing a clinical area. At six months, all respondents indicated they had used the provided data and applied to the unit recommended by the UIS.
Conclusion: Initial psychometric testing of the UIS indicated reliability and validity. The UIS appears to have success informing NGN decisions within the pediatric setting. Future study will investigate if the UIS can impact satisfaction and retention among NGNs.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Workforce, Transition to Practice, Onboarding, Instrument and Tool Development, Promoting Clinical Outcomes, New Graduate Nurses, Novice Nurses, Retention
Recommended Citation
Montgomery, Tiffany and Walker, Danielle, "Unit Interest Survey (UIS): Validating New Graduate Nurse (NGN) Work-Life Assessment" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 61.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/61
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-20
Unit Interest Survey (UIS): Validating New Graduate Nurse (NGN) Work-Life Assessment
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Background: NGN retention is a concern in the US, with 23.8% turnover rate costing hospitals an average of $56,277 per nurse. Healthcare organizations must adopt strategies to retain and engage NGNs. Currently, applicants choose work units based on staffing needs or preferences, not personal assessment (strengths, communication style, personality). Self-reflection when choosing a practice setting could enhance job satisfaction and reduce burnout. Person-job fit moderates n job performance and compassion fatigue, while lifestyle factors influence retention. No reliable tool exists for guiding NGNs in assessing work and lifestyle preferences
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the UIS, an instrument designed to guide personal assessment of work and lifestyle preferences, determine if the UIS influences decision-making regarding first professional role and if it impacts the choice of pediatric setting.
Methods: The MEASURE approach was utilized to guide instrument development, validation, and pilot testing. Initial item generation was conducted by an expert nurse residency coordinator. End users provided qualitative face validity assessment. Instrument validity was evaluated through a content validity index. Once initial validity was established, the UIS was piloted. The UIS was made public to all users on the organizational website. Survey takers could opt into the pilot study, immediately following completion of the UIS and six months later.
Results: The UIS guides reflection in 3 areas: scheduling and setting, workflow and pace, and patient population and interactions. After each category, NGNs review selections and clinical practice areas that match their preferences. Initial face validity of the CVI was assessed by 63 RNs, resulting in a CVI score of 0.83, above the acceptable scale-level threshold of 0.80. In the study, 72 nursing students or registered nurses provided feedback after completing the UIS, with 66% (n=48) reporting that the UIS caused them to consider new or alternative reasons for choosing a clinical area. At six months, all respondents indicated they had used the provided data and applied to the unit recommended by the UIS.
Conclusion: Initial psychometric testing of the UIS indicated reliability and validity. The UIS appears to have success informing NGN decisions within the pediatric setting. Future study will investigate if the UIS can impact satisfaction and retention among NGNs.
Description
The high turnover rate of new graduate nurses in the U.S. impacts hospitals financially. Current new graduate nurse job selection lacks personal assessment. This study developed the Unit Interest Survey (UIS) to guide new graduate nurses in evaluating work and lifestyle preferences, focusing on scheduling, workflow, and patient population. Initial findings show UIS positively influences NGN unit choice and may decrease burnout and improve retention and satisfaction in the pediatric setting.