Nurse peer support program focuses on recruitment and retention

When registered nurse Jackie Pratt looks around the Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow, she sees new nurses arriving eager and hopeful, only to become overwhelmed, anxious and, in some cases, ready to leave the profession.

“I’ve done orientation for every new nurse who has come through our doors for the last two years,” said Pratt, a clinical nurse educator at the hospital. “Many of them are excited on day one, but once they’re out on the floor, sometimes they don’t feel as supported as they should. We don’t want to lose them.”

Earlier this year, Pratt began the “Aberdeen Family Tree”, an in person peer support program designed specifically for nurses in their first year of practice. Funded through a $5,000 Nova Scotia Health nurse led innovation grant, the program focuses on retention, emotional wellbeing and building confidence.

The program blends supportive education with structured peer debriefing. Each one hour session includes a 30 minute teaching component on topics such as stress management and time management, followed by 30 minutes of facilitated peer discussion.

“The goal isn’t to lecture, it’s to give nurses tools, language and reassurance,” Pratt said. “This creates a safe space where they can talk openly about what they’re experiencing.”

The “Aberdeen Family Tree” offers consistent, human-centered support. Participants can join at any time. They graduate with a certificate after completing 10 sessions and receive a necklace symbolizing “roots, growth, connection and belonging.”

Each participant receives a welcome kit that includes a “Be Kind” lanyard, sensory and fidget tools, a journal, along with access to program resources.

Although early attendance has been small, Pratt expects numbers to grow as new nurses join the ranks. She hopes the program will become a reason new grads choose the Pictou County hospital.

“If someone is scared about their first year, knowing they’ll have a full year of support could be the thing that brings them here and, ultimately, keeps them here,” she said.

This project is deeply personal for Pratt. After 15 years in nursing, she knows the strains of the job. “I want this generation to learn that you can be an excellent nurse without over extending yourself.”

She hopes the “Aberdeen Family Tree” becomes a model for other rural hospitals.

“Transition can be hard and support matters,” Pratt said. “If we can walk alongside them, we can retain them and have them continue loving this profession.” 

Photo of Jackie Pratt, a registered nurse in Pictou County.