The Essential Handbook for New Employees

Diana Swihart, PhD, DMin, MSN, APN CS, RN-BC, FAAN 
Solimar Figueroa, PhD, MSN, MHA, BSN, RN, P-PCA 

The onboarding process can make or break a new employee. The Essential Handbook for New Employees is a compilation of tools to help you participate in your new-employee program. These tools can support you as you partner with leadership, educators, interprofessional colleagues, and interdisciplinary team members to ensure that you achieve renewed commitment and enthusiasm for the organization and team you’ve joined. 

This book will help you: 

• Engage in an interactive program that is consistent with adult learning principles 
• Learn what to expect during the competency validation process 
• Evaluate your new employee program 

About the Authors

Diana Swihart, PhD, DMin, MSN, APN CS, RN-BC, FAAN, is a consulting partner with the Forum for Shared Governance and the CEO and managing partner for the American Academy for Preceptor Advancement. She enjoys many roles in her professional career, practicing in widely diverse clinical and nonclinical settings. An author, speaker, researcher, educator, and consultant, she has published and spoken nationally and internationally on a number of topics related to servant leadership, preceptors, shared governance, new-employee onboarding and orientation, competency assessment, professional development, the Magnet Recognition Program®, research, and evidence-based practice. 

Solimar Figueroa, PhD, MSN, MHA, BSN, RN, P-PCA, has more than 30 years of experience in professional nursing. Now a clinical educator II in her current hospital-based position, her practice has encompassed the Philippines, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Michigan, and Florida. Dr. Figueroa’s experience includes operating room nurse, operating room in-charge nurse, director of nursing, chief nursing officer, assistant director of nursing, clinical educator, director of clinical services, and certified preceptor specialist. 

Published: December 2016

Page Count: 84
Dimensions: 5x5 x 8.5
ISBN: 978-1-68308-201-9

Table of Contents

• Part 1: INTRODUCTION 
• Onboarding: Definitions and Wayfinding 
• General Organization Onboarding Processes 
• Service-Specific Orientations 
• Preceptorships 
• Regulatory Agencies and Mandatory Requirements 
• Competency-Based Orientations 
• Evidence-Based Practice, Critical Thinking, and Priorities 
• Leadership: Authority, Accountability, Ownership, and Delegation 
• Evaluating Outcomes 
• Communication 
• Change and Stress Management 
• Part 2: Forms and Worksheets (Available online) 
• New hire wish list 
• Primary preceptor and new-employee (preceptee) relationship guide 
• Competency decision worksheet for this orientation period 
• Position-specific competencies, including technical skills 
• Log for documenting progress 
• Delegation tool and process worksheet 
• Onboarding experience evaluation 
• Transition-to-service verification form 
• REFERENCES