Surviving and Thriving: Integrating a Resiliency Thread into an Oncology Nurse Residency Curriculum

The nursing shortage is an ongoing issue that is anticipated to intensify. It is predicted that by 2025, this shortage will be more than twice as large as any nurse shortage experienced since the 1960's Buerhaus et al, 2009). In addition, about 17.5% of new graduate nurses leave their first job within their first employment year. One in three (33%) leave within two years (Kovner et al, 2014). Nurse retention is particularly an issue within subspecialties such as oncology, where nurses face a unique set of challenges including treatment complications, symptom management and end-of-life care.