Evaluating the orientation of internationally educated licensed practical nurses from Jamaica working in a long term care program in St. John's, Newfoundland

• Main Author: Ball, Heidi
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 2016
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/13462/; https://research.library.mun.ca/13462/1/HBall%20Practicum%20Report%20Final.pdf

Background and Purpose: In January and February of 2015, nineteen internationally educated licensed practical nurses from Jamaica began employment in a long-term care program, in St. John’s NL. A 400-hour orientation was prepared and delivered specifically for this group. The purpose of this practicum project was to evaluate the orientation according to priorities and criteria determined by key stakeholders, for quality improvement purposes, with the goal of reporting resultant recommendations back to the key stakeholders. Methods: Methods included a systematic review of the literature, semi-structured interviews of long-term care managers and educator, and pen and paper surveys of the internationally educated licensed practical nurses from Jamaica. The evaluation was guided by Stake’s evaluation framework; results were analyzed reflecting Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model. Results: Three recommendations for quality improvement of the orientation program were offered, including: changes to the medication administration orientation; development of a tracking system for preceptorship; and creation of a mentorship program. Conclusion: In general, the orientation program has shown success in a variety of areas. Implementation of the recommendations from this evaluation may improve the quality of the program and help to strengthen integration of future internationally educated licensed practical nurses into the long-term care setting.