Evaluation of the feasibility of an Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People (ECHO) for early career nurses

Corina Naughton; Nicky Hayes; Ivanka Ezhova; Joanne M. Fitzpatrick

doi:10.1111/opn.12526

Evaluation of the feasibility of an Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People (ECHO) for early career nurses

Corina Naughton^*, Nicky Hayes, Ivanka Ezhova, Joanne M. Fitzpatrick

^*Corresponding author for this work

Care in Long Term Conditions

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Rapid population ageing is driving demand for qualified gerontological nurses. Yet, early career nurse attrition and limited focus on retention in the speciality limits supply. Objectives: To test the feasibility and acceptability of an Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People (ECHO) intervention for early career nurses to improve retention and capability in gerontological nursing. ECHO is a multicomponent intervention with integrated education, career planning and coaching components, tested over two 6-month cycles. Methods: A feasibility study with a pre-post design using a multi-methods evaluation. Twenty-nine early career nurse participants were recruited from eight NHS acute and community care Trusts in England. ECHO participants completed online questionnaires at baseline (Time 1), 6-month (T2, end of intervention) and follow-up at 18 months from baseline (T3). Outcome measures were career intention, self-reported knowledge, career planning confidence, and burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with participants (n = 23) and organizational stakeholders (n = 16) who facilitated ECHO. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests for paired data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: Overall, 19 of 29 participants (65%) completed all aspects of the intervention. The evaluation was completed by 23 participants. ECHO was well received by participants and stakeholders. At T3, the 23 participants were working in the speciality, though two had changed organizations. There was a significant improvement in self-reported gerontological knowledge, pre 87 (IQR 81–102), post 107 (IQR 98–112) p = 0.006, but no significant changes in other outcomes. In qualitative data, participants and organizational stakeholders held similar views, presented under four main themes: intended outcomes (personal and professional development, raise gerontological profile, expand horizons); nurse retention-a double-edged sword, ECHO logistics, and sustainability. Conclusion: Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People was feasible and may positively impact early career nurse retention, capability and socialization into gerontological nursing. ECHO requires further refinement and piloting, but learning can contribute to retention strategies. Implications for practice: Attracting and retaining early-career nurses to the gerontological speciality requires greater innovation, organizational and senior nurse leadership.

Original language	English
Article number	e12526
Number of pages	16
Journal	International journal of older people nursing
Volume	e12526
Issue number	2
Early online date	19 Jan 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/opn.12526
Publication status	Published - Mar 2023

Keywords

gerontological nursing
career
education
retention
capability
older people
feasibility study

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10.1111/opn.12526Licence: CC BY-NC

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@article{376da96b64764eee8ba37a81d2374d0b,

title = "Evaluation of the feasibility of an Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People (ECHO) for early career nurses",

abstract = "Background: Rapid population ageing is driving demand for qualified gerontological nurses. Yet, early career nurse attrition and limited focus on retention in the speciality limits supply. Objectives: To test the feasibility and acceptability of an Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People (ECHO) intervention for early career nurses to improve retention and capability in gerontological nursing. ECHO is a multicomponent intervention with integrated education, career planning and coaching components, tested over two 6-month cycles. Methods: A feasibility study with a pre-post design using a multi-methods evaluation. Twenty-nine early career nurse participants were recruited from eight NHS acute and community care Trusts in England. ECHO participants completed online questionnaires at baseline (Time 1), 6-month (T2, end of intervention) and follow-up at 18 months from baseline (T3). Outcome measures were career intention, self-reported knowledge, career planning confidence, and burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with participants (n = 23) and organizational stakeholders (n = 16) who facilitated ECHO. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests for paired data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: Overall, 19 of 29 participants (65%) completed all aspects of the intervention. The evaluation was completed by 23 participants. ECHO was well received by participants and stakeholders. At T3, the 23 participants were working in the speciality, though two had changed organizations. There was a significant improvement in self-reported gerontological knowledge, pre 87 (IQR 81–102), post 107 (IQR 98–112) p = 0.006, but no significant changes in other outcomes. In qualitative data, participants and organizational stakeholders held similar views, presented under four main themes: intended outcomes (personal and professional development, raise gerontological profile, expand horizons); nurse retention-a double-edged sword, ECHO logistics, and sustainability. Conclusion: Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People was feasible and may positively impact early career nurse retention, capability and socialization into gerontological nursing. ECHO requires further refinement and piloting, but learning can contribute to retention strategies. Implications for practice: Attracting and retaining early-career nurses to the gerontological speciality requires greater innovation, organizational and senior nurse leadership.",

keywords = "gerontological nursing, career, education, retention, capability, older people, feasibility study",

author = "Corina Naughton and Nicky Hayes and Ivanka Ezhova and Fitzpatrick, {Joanne M.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the Burdett Trust for Nursing for their funding and support. We thank the ECHO participants and the organisational stakeholders and older people who generously gave us their time, ideas and support through out the project. Open access funding provided by IReL. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors. International Journal of Older People Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2023",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1111/opn.12526",

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journal = "International journal of older people nursing",

issn = "1748-3735",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

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AU - Naughton, Corina

AU - Hayes, Nicky

AU - Ezhova, Ivanka

AU - Fitzpatrick, Joanne M.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the Burdett Trust for Nursing for their funding and support. We thank the ECHO participants and the organisational stakeholders and older people who generously gave us their time, ideas and support through out the project. Open access funding provided by IReL. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. International Journal of Older People Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2023/3

Y1 - 2023/3

N2 - Background: Rapid population ageing is driving demand for qualified gerontological nurses. Yet, early career nurse attrition and limited focus on retention in the speciality limits supply. Objectives: To test the feasibility and acceptability of an Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People (ECHO) intervention for early career nurses to improve retention and capability in gerontological nursing. ECHO is a multicomponent intervention with integrated education, career planning and coaching components, tested over two 6-month cycles. Methods: A feasibility study with a pre-post design using a multi-methods evaluation. Twenty-nine early career nurse participants were recruited from eight NHS acute and community care Trusts in England. ECHO participants completed online questionnaires at baseline (Time 1), 6-month (T2, end of intervention) and follow-up at 18 months from baseline (T3). Outcome measures were career intention, self-reported knowledge, career planning confidence, and burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with participants (n = 23) and organizational stakeholders (n = 16) who facilitated ECHO. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests for paired data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: Overall, 19 of 29 participants (65%) completed all aspects of the intervention. The evaluation was completed by 23 participants. ECHO was well received by participants and stakeholders. At T3, the 23 participants were working in the speciality, though two had changed organizations. There was a significant improvement in self-reported gerontological knowledge, pre 87 (IQR 81–102), post 107 (IQR 98–112) p = 0.006, but no significant changes in other outcomes. In qualitative data, participants and organizational stakeholders held similar views, presented under four main themes: intended outcomes (personal and professional development, raise gerontological profile, expand horizons); nurse retention-a double-edged sword, ECHO logistics, and sustainability. Conclusion: Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People was feasible and may positively impact early career nurse retention, capability and socialization into gerontological nursing. ECHO requires further refinement and piloting, but learning can contribute to retention strategies. Implications for practice: Attracting and retaining early-career nurses to the gerontological speciality requires greater innovation, organizational and senior nurse leadership.

AB - Background: Rapid population ageing is driving demand for qualified gerontological nurses. Yet, early career nurse attrition and limited focus on retention in the speciality limits supply. Objectives: To test the feasibility and acceptability of an Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People (ECHO) intervention for early career nurses to improve retention and capability in gerontological nursing. ECHO is a multicomponent intervention with integrated education, career planning and coaching components, tested over two 6-month cycles. Methods: A feasibility study with a pre-post design using a multi-methods evaluation. Twenty-nine early career nurse participants were recruited from eight NHS acute and community care Trusts in England. ECHO participants completed online questionnaires at baseline (Time 1), 6-month (T2, end of intervention) and follow-up at 18 months from baseline (T3). Outcome measures were career intention, self-reported knowledge, career planning confidence, and burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with participants (n = 23) and organizational stakeholders (n = 16) who facilitated ECHO. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests for paired data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: Overall, 19 of 29 participants (65%) completed all aspects of the intervention. The evaluation was completed by 23 participants. ECHO was well received by participants and stakeholders. At T3, the 23 participants were working in the speciality, though two had changed organizations. There was a significant improvement in self-reported gerontological knowledge, pre 87 (IQR 81–102), post 107 (IQR 98–112) p = 0.006, but no significant changes in other outcomes. In qualitative data, participants and organizational stakeholders held similar views, presented under four main themes: intended outcomes (personal and professional development, raise gerontological profile, expand horizons); nurse retention-a double-edged sword, ECHO logistics, and sustainability. Conclusion: Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People was feasible and may positively impact early career nurse retention, capability and socialization into gerontological nursing. ECHO requires further refinement and piloting, but learning can contribute to retention strategies. Implications for practice: Attracting and retaining early-career nurses to the gerontological speciality requires greater innovation, organizational and senior nurse leadership.

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KW - career

KW - education

KW - retention

KW - capability

KW - older people

KW - feasibility study

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U2 - 10.1111/opn.12526

DO - 10.1111/opn.12526

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JF - International journal of older people nursing

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M1 - e12526

ER -

Evaluation of the feasibility of an Education-Career pathway in Healthcare for Older People (ECHO) for early career nurses

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