An Examination of the Career Choices of Nursing Graduates After Completing a Perioperative Elective

ABSTRACT In light of the perioperative nursing shortage, academic leaders at a mid‐Atlantic school of nursing and leaders of three health care systems implemented an academic‐practice partnership with the goal of increasing interest in this specialty. Nursing researchers used a descriptive study design to collect data from nursing alumni who participated in the perioperative elective between 2017 and 2021. They found that 25 (38%) of 65 graduates who participated in the elective entered perioperative nursing and 38 (68%) of 56 graduates who answered a question on considering future employment as a perioperative nurse indicated they would do so regardless of their current employment status. Graduates who participated in the elective and experienced a perioperative capstone placement had low anticipated turnover scores and intended to remain in a perioperative position. Academic and health care leaders should consider academic‐practice partnerships as a strategy to recruit and retain perioperative nurses.