Date of Award

January 2023

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Yale University School of Nursing

First Advisor

Joan Kearney

Abstract

Due to job related PTSD and identification with their intense careers, police officers areat risk for substance use disorder and mental illness when they transition into retirement. This DNP project implemented a retirement transition program modeled from a successful federal program for military personnel that was structured as a five day, in-person experience designed to be efficient and cost effective. The aims of the project were to: 1) modify an existing comprehensive retirement transition program used by the US military for police officers in an unnamed state within 5 years of their projected retirement date; 2) implement and evaluate this comprehensive retirement transition program for law enforcement officer; and 3) make recommendations for scaling and sustainability of the project throughout the local/ county law enforcement system. Methods to accomplish these aims utilized an intensive retirement transition program based on a program for former military personnel hosted by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. A retirement readiness survey was developed to assess officers’ retirement preparedness and paired t testing was used to compare pre and post readiness survey results. Retirement preparedness increased significantly post program. The program evaluation showed overall program satisfaction across all participants. Implications include scaling to a statewide system; with demonstrated direct benefits to officers, and indirect benefits of reduction in sick time utilization and associated costs along with increased agency morale.

Comments

This is an Open Access Thesis.

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