New Grad Nurse Retention Program
Designed for Leaders
A forward-thinking approach to retain top talent right from the start
Noelle Kohles, MSN RN
In this clip, Noelle introduces the program when being interviewed by Rollis Fontenot III, host of #livewithrollis
Finally a program for Leaders!
Retain 90-100% of NewGrad Staff!
 Why you? What makes your course stand out?

I am a leader who understands, who can empathize with what leaders are going through because I have gone through it. I coach and teach with passion, and are giving leaders the tools and methods that I know work first hand, because they worked for me.
  • Your most recent experience is just a few months ago when COVID was still going on (competitors have been out of the game fore years in a lot of cases)
  • You have recent retention numbers of 90-100% which is unheard of in most places
  • ​You are still relatively young to other nurse leaders which helps you understand the millennial and X’ers better
  • You experienced organizations on each coast :)
  • ​​You were a director with 4 kids, 5 cats, 2 dogs and a husband, you know what it means to be busy! And even after removing director, that is more than most of us have to deal with.
By the end of the course, what should the nurse director expect as far as material and results?

This is what they can use to sell the idea to whoever has to approve this.

  • Their own customized game plan,
  • A​ prepared presentation to leadership,
  • ​A working plan for success,
  • ​Certification of completion

Would you like to see the full overview?

  • Noelle explains her journey to 100% new grad nurse retention
  • ​She talks about some key factors in her success
  • ​Explains how she helps other leaders to achieve similar results
  • ​OR, you can read more below in the written interview of Noelle...

Fill out the information below to watch the free program on the next page which will provide an overview and share valuable and actionable retention strategies:

Interview with Course Leader, Noelle

 What did you enjoy most about being a nurse director?

Being a nursing director was a really proud time for me. One thing I enjoyed most being in that role was leading my teams. Being their director gave me the ability to support, coach, and guide them through their decision-making process both as a bedside nurse and their career path. Their success was my success.
 What problems did you encounter as a nurse leader as it relates to staffing retention?

There were 2 problems I found to be significant that I encountered when it came to staff retention and that was turnover in leadership/educators and compensation.
How did you address the problem (talk about one or two ways you tried that failed)?

Tackling this problem head-on was the best way to understand and relate to the "why" with staff in order to correct it. What I could have done differently in this process was advocate more on "why" they should stay, rather than over supporting their decisions to leave.

I also noticed the timing of the resignation. If I would have been present more and took the time to listen I believe the outcome would have been different. When I looked back my priorities were not on the staff but on the work that needed to get done. I pride myself on being a conscious leader, however, we are human and stress along with competing priorities will affect us. When leaders get stuck in "busy" mode most of what is going on around them is a blur and is often overlooked by the thought that someone else is watching (like a team leader, nurse manager, supervisor) and will take care of it. Passing the buck on a conversation you started and never finished will result in a failure.
How did you know that your initial approach wasn't working?
Those that decided to leave over time felt as if I was giving them permission to leave. The few that left had similar answers in their exit interview. All of which involved a "good conversation with my boss". I took a moment to reflect and knew I had to change my communication and correct the problem.
How did you finally fix the problem?

I fixed the problem by giving myself a leadership timeout. I took time to pause and think about what made me successful with retention before and, how I had to get back on track with the 4 key dimensions I created for myself. (Emotional intelligence, individualism, influence, and consistency) I was taught many years ago that everything a leader does has to have purposeful connection. I hold on tight to this and remembered how my success greatly attributed to encompassing those 4 key dimensions.
What metrics were used to show progress?

New grad nurse retention was tracked in 2 ways. By the educators who taught the program and by my own in department metrics. Each year we tracked the number of nurses, which schools they came from, and why they decided to leave (if they resigned under 2 years) 

What was a significant marker that we soon realized should be tracked was the 2-3 yr mark of new grads. Two years is a golden year. The year that most new grads feel "forgotten". 

This is a metric that MUST be considered in all organizations moving forward. If leaders do not keep the momentum going and look at retention as a whole, this is where you will find nurses falling through the cracks. This is an area where the turnover rate is the highest.
How did this compare to peers? Industry, etc?

Comparatively speaking, my unit was #1 for 4 consecutive years at 100% new grad nurse retention. Over the years we remained 90% or above. 

I would like to share one year that I lost all 3 new grads that I hired at their 2-year mark. While this was a huge loss to the team, I did celebrate one factor. All 3 nurses gave me notice 2-6 months out. All three sat me down knowing the value I had in them and said, your not going to want to hear this but.... 

When you purposefully connect with your staff 1:1. Show value in them as a person and professional, this is what happens. They were tearful moments for me and the nurses. They were my shining stars! 

One left because her partner's job relocated, another left because she was a traveler and wanted to travel as a nurse and explore different ways of nursing before coming back and settling. And the 3rd was dealing with personal/health issues. 

While this stopped my streak of 100% by numbers, it was still a success in my book. There was value, trust, and a relationship between leader and staff.

So Let's Get Started!

  • Let's take this journey together!
  • ​You will have me to support you!
  • ​Plus other peers to support you as well!
  • ​Fill out your name and email to learn more now!

Fill out the information below to watch a free program that will provide an overview and share valuable and actionable retention strategies:

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