Over the years, the turnover rate for registered nurses (RN) has varied significantly. According to NSI Nursing Solutions Inc.*, the RN turnover spiked to 27.1% as many nurses left due to burnout, safety concerns, or personal reasons during the pandemic. The turnover rates began to decrease in the following years, with the latest rate recorded at 18.4% in 2023, down from 22.5% in 2022.
This, however, does not change the fact that recruiting and retaining staff continues to be one of the greatest challenges facing the healthcare sector, as high turnover continues to strain hospital resources and affect patient care.
There are many factors influencing nurse turnover, from high patient loads and stressful environments to work-life imbalance and lack of career development and opportunities. One proven strategy hospitals are focusing on when it comes to retention is to provide nurses with mentoring programs.
In fact, one of our healthcare customers Cardinal Health enjoyed a 50% improvement in their retention rate and $5.2 million in retention savings since they began using MentorcliQ mentoring software for their mentoring programs in 2014.
In this post, MentorcliQ’s very own VP of Center of Excellence, David Peterka, shares how mentoring can truly make a difference for nurses, hospitals, and the healthcare industry as a whole.
What Are the Key Challenges Hospitals Are Facing in Retaining Nurses?
Being America’s most trusted profession for 22 consecutive years in a row does not make the job any less challenging or demanding for nurses. Hospitals are suffering from shortages and struggling to retain nurses.
Nurses are shouldering higher workloads than ever. The demand for healthcare services has surged, partly as a result of the aging population and the long-lasting impacts of the pandemic. This is on top of mandatory overtime as standard practice. Working conditions, workload/staffing ratios, and career advancement are among the top reasons why staff RNs voluntarily resigned in the past year*.
“Nursing is a demanding profession. […] If you get stretched physically, emotionally, intellectually, in any of those dimensions, it’s a recipe for stress and burnout,” David observed. As workloads and burnout soar, job satisfaction plummets. It’s no surprise why such pressure has, time and time again, led some nurses to severe burnout and drove others to leave the profession. In fact, a 2023 study found more than 1 in 4 US nurses say they plan to leave the profession.
Taking a close look at the nursing profession itself, the lack of career development and advancement opportunities is not uncommon.
David shared, “We also hear a lot of reports of nurses leaving an organization because they don’t feel supported by management. Nurses also express that they have limited opportunities for professional development. They don’t get recognition. They don’t have the opportunity to move up in the organization or move to a position that they would like to move to. Then again, it might be easier for them to leave the organization and find an opportunity somewhere else.”
And even though the nursing workforce is the largest among all the healthcare professions and is nearly 4x the size of the physician workforce*, we can’t deny the fact that a significant portion is approaching their retirement age. As experienced nurses retire, hospitals, which are more often than not already understaffed, face further staffing issues and, worse, knowledge gaps. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 194,500 openings for RNs are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The nursing profession is trapped in a vicious cycle: increasing demand and short staffing lead to burnout and resignations, which further strain the remaining workforce. Without systemic changes—such as better support, career growth opportunities, and improved working conditions—this cycle will continue to undermine the profession and healthcare delivery as a whole.
And this is where mentoring comes in—and breaks the cycle.
What Is Mentorship in Nursing?
Fundamentally similar to any other mentoring relationship, mentorship in nursing is a professional relationship where experienced nurses (mentors) support and guide less experienced nurses (mentees) in their professional and personal development.
Nursing mentorship focuses on learning, enhancing skills, and building confidence, especially for recent graduates and newly recruited nurses transitioning into practice. Experienced nurse mentors provide advice, share knowledge, and offer constructive feedback to help their mentees navigate challenges and grow in their roles. As mentees improve their clinical skills, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities, it ultimately improves patient care.
What are the most common nurse mentorship programs?
“It is an unwritten rule that experienced nurses will guide junior staff, formally or informally, as part of their daily practice.” — Jan Hunter, Nurse Lecturer, University of Hull
Nurse mentoring programs can take various forms. And each is designed to support nurses at different stages of their careers and in diverse settings, for example:
Newly graduate RNs (NGNs) mentorship program
Given that the first-year RN turnover rate is 23.8%, mentoring for new nurses cannot be overstated. This program supports NGNs as they transition from academic settings to clinical practice. It pairs NGNs with experienced nurse mentors who provide guidance, knowledge, and emotional support. Within this supportive learning environment, NGNs are empowered to adapt to the demands of patient care, which helps reduce stress during their critical first year of practice and, in turn, improves retention.
Unit-based mentorship programs
These mentorship programs are designed to support nurses within specific clinical units, such as emergency, ICU, NICU, maternity, and pediatrics, just to name a few. Less experienced nurses are paired with seasoned staff who provide role-specific training, address the unique challenges of the unit, and promote professional growth. Unit-based mentorship programs aim to boost confidence, improve team integration, and foster morale, which, ultimately, contributes to better retention.
Novice nurse academics mentorship program
This program supports nurses transitioning into academic roles, such as teaching or research. Novice nurse academics are paired with experienced mentors who guide them in developing educational methodologies, scholarly writing, and research skills. This enhances their teaching capabilities and professional growth in the world of academia.
Mentoring program for nursing leadership
This program prepares nurses for leadership roles by pairing them with experienced nurse leaders. It focuses on developing strategic thinking, decision-making, and team management skills. Participants learn to navigate challenges such as staffing, budgeting, and policy development, while fostering collaboration, both within and interdisciplinary, and driving innovation for patient care.
How Can Mentoring Help Retain Nurses?
Staff turnover is one of the costliest problems to address. In fact, according to the 2024 NSI report, The cost of each registered nurse turnover is $56,277, and the annual average hospital cost of RN turnover is $4.82m.
Do you know what truly helps? Mentorship. This is echoed in a study showing multiple nurse mentorship programs across the US and Canada, among others, are designed for the sole purpose of retaining nurses. And here’s how.
Reduce uncertainties
David highlighted that “Mentors can help new nurses or nurses who are new to the floor or a discipline to quickly learn the tips and tricks of that floor, that discipline, working in a specific system, and help them succeed in their new roles from early on. This quicker acclimation to the job can help reduce the new nurse’s uncertainties about their role, position, and job.”
This rings true since a recent study found that 58.9% of nurse mentees reported that their mentoring relationship had positively influenced their decision to stay in nursing. For the mentees who had secured a position as a professional nurse, 66.2% perceived their mentorship relationship as having been helpful during their transition from new graduate to practicing professional.
Navigate career path
Since mentors are often more seasoned and tenured, they can help mentees set and navigate career goals. Mentorship provides mentees access to professional networks and career advancement opportunities. They can learn about specializations, leadership roles, and advanced educational options if/when they wish to pursue.
Communicate with management and advocate for themselves
One of the often overlooked benefits of nursing mentorship is how mentors can help coach mentees on how to communicate with management. Nursing, like many other professions, is often part of a hierarchical system where management holds decision-making power. Some nurses, especially nursing students and new nurses, worry that raising issues or challenging the status quo might backfire.
“Mentors can help advocate for mentees. There is a direct line of communication that is being advocated for from the mentor to the mentee. And that really makes a difference,” David added. Case in point, 57.9% of nurse mentees reported that their professional communication skills had been enhanced as a result of the mentorship.
Achieve and retain Magnet status
The Magnet Recognition Program is an accreditation program developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to recognize healthcare organizations for excellence in nursing. It is considered the gold standard for nursing excellence and quality patient care.
Magnet hospitals are known for attracting and retaining top nursing talent thanks to their strong focus on professional development, nursing autonomy, and leadership.
Hospitals seeking Magnet status are expected to provide evidence of efforts that support nurse growth and leadership, which, you guessed it right, often include mentoring programs. It is highly encouraged as a best practice and strongly aligned with the Magnet program’s goals.
Proven Strategies for Nursing Mentorship Programs
Having helped customers in the healthcare industry, like Cardinal Health, launch hundreds of mentoring programs over the decade from scratch, David revealed key strategies for employee development experience that make mentoring work every time.
“When it comes to helping employees develop and connect, we think of it in three pillars: 1.) career, 2.) skills, and 3.) community and diversity. If you can strategically have touchpoints in each of these pillars across the nursing experience, that’s how you are going to your highest retention. Even if you have two out of three pillars, we see even better retention [for customers] than having just one pillar.”
Here is how these pillars can be applied in practice.
1. Mentoring for career development
Career-focused mentoring helps nurses navigate their professional journey by, as mentioned throughout this article, pairing them with experienced mentors who offer guidance on career paths, leadership opportunities, and long-term growth.
For instance, a senior nurse might mentor a junior colleague on transitioning from bedside nursing to management roles. Practical steps include setting clear career goals, creating personalized development plans, and identifying training programs or certifications. This not only empowers nurses to envision their future but also boosts confidence, motivation, and alignment with organizational goals.
2. Mentoring for skills development
Skills development mentoring focuses on both clinical and non-clinical competencies central to nursing excellence. Junior nurses receive hands-on training in areas like patient care, advanced diagnostics, or technology usage, such as electronic health record systems.
As an example, mentors may run simulation exercises to improve decision-making during emergencies or provide constructive feedback on communication skills. This targeted upskilling ensures that nurses are not only adept at their roles but also continually evolving with industry advancements, which leads to better patient outcomes and professional fulfillment.
3. Mentoring for community and diversity
These programs help build inclusive workplaces where nurses feel valued and connected. It creates support networks, such as connecting underrepresented groups via employee resource groups for peer mentoring and support.
Additionally, mentors can help mentees better understand diverse patient needs and build cultural competence, which is crucial in today’s healthcare landscape. This might include discussions on addressing healthcare disparities or navigating biases in patient care.
Top Tips for Launching Nursing Mentorship Programs
Make it known that mentoring does NOT take forever!
“The biggest challenge [in attracting participants] is always time. It’s really important to communicate that mentoring does not have to be, say, 30 hours a month. It doesn’t have to be that intense. The key is to make mentoring more palatable—make it exciting,” David emphasized.
Most commonly for nursing mentorship, mentors and mentees can meet two to three hours per month, and that’s enough time for them to have critical conversations. For follow-up work and self-study, set clear expectations, such as how many hours it is going to take per month. Just be clear that it does NOT take forever.
🗓️ Not sure how often your meetings should be? Read our guide on meeting cadences here!
Demonstrate values
Again, since mentoring activities are often on top of what’s going on day to day, we cannot stress enough how important it is to demonstrate clear gains and values from the get-go.
This is as easy as tailoring the programs so that mentees can develop the skills they actually want to develop and can connect with people who specialize in the things they want to specialize in.
For mentors, you can set up quick recognition programs to show appreciation for their good work, not only for the organization but also for the people that they’re mentoring. This way, you are also instinctively building a culture of excellence.
Use technology
With the right technology, you can run as many and as specific programs as you wish. Every program you launch should serve a clear purpose for its intended participants.
For example, if you are considering launching an onboarding program for new nurses, your matching criteria might look like:
- Pairing a new nurse with a mentor on the same shift and floor
- Assigning one mentor to three new nurses within the same specialty
Another example could be a general career development program, where mentees answer a few questions about their career goals and areas they need support in. The algorithm then pairs them with someone whose experience and expertise align with those goals.
With mentoring software like MentorcliQ, you can achieve as broad or as special matching criteria at scale. And that’s just the beginning of what our #1 mentoring software can do!
Launch Your Nurse Mentorship Programs With MentorcliQ
When we talk about mentoring in healthcare, we are not just talking about onboarding a handful of new hires. We are talking about managing hundreds if not thousands of staff—matching them effectively, tracking their progress, and ensuring measurable outcomes. The scale of impact is massive, but so are the logistical challenges. And that’s where technology steps in.
Imagine a solution that not only simplifies these complexities but also drives retention, career growth, and organizational excellence. That solution already exists, and it’s MentorcliQ. Book a demo today and see how we can help you scale success in nursing mentorship.
