New nurses increasingly begin their roles feeling disconnected due to virtual, shortened onboarding. At Mayo Clinic Arizona, leaders created an enculturation toolkit to build a sense of belonging from day one. This episode explores ways to strengthen engagement, reduce burnout, reinforce mission and values, and support both new and seasoned staff in delivering excellent patient care.
Post-pandemic shifts to virtual, abbreviated onboarding have left many new staff feeling isolated, less confident, and more likely to burn out.
In this episode of Key in to Quality, listeners get a peek into what’s working at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. A nursing team developed an enculturation toolkit designed to intentionally root new nurses in Mayo Clinic’s mission, values, and cultural heritage. The toolkit organizes existing institutional resources into leader-ready activities aligned with evidence-based principles of engagement, meaning, connection, and reflective practice. It supports diverse learning needs and reinforces culture for both new and seasoned staff.
Pilot results showed sustained engagement, stronger understanding of mission and values, and observable behavioral improvements that enrich teamwork and patient experience. The approach is now being explored for broader implementation and potential licensing.