Interprofessional perspectives on the implementation of a pilot graduate nurse residency program in a Hungarian pediatric hospital

Background

Ensuring nursing workforce supply and strengthening retention are critical healthcare challenges. Bethesda Children's Hospital introduced a pilot graduate nurse residency program (GNRP) to support newly graduated nurses through structured mentoring, rotation, and educational support. This study examines healthcare professionals' perceptions and acceptance of the program, rather than its effectiveness. Methods and sample: A cross-sectional, quantitative, anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted at Bethesda Children's Hospital. The survey assessed sociodemographic and professional characteristics, attitudes toward the GNRP, and opinions on key program elements. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, factor analysis, and regression analysis (IBM SPSS Statistics 27). Of 394 eligible employees, 189 participated (84 physicians, 44%; 105 nurses, 56%), representing occupational roles adequately (χ 2 = 0.041; p = 0.839).