The early days of being a nurse : understanding the student-to-worker transition in nursing

Abstract

Background: The transition from student to nurse is an exciting but challenging period for new nurses. With the greater demands being placed upon healthcare today, new nurses are expected to ‘hit the ground running’. However, new nurses are unprepared for their new role and experience ‘reality shock’. With the importance of the first few months of work for a successful transition, a deeper understanding of the transition is required especially for Maltese nurses. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to explore the transition experience from student to qualified nurse, acquire an understanding of what factors have positive and negative effects on the transition, explore the needs and challenges faced by newly-qualified nurses, their readiness to be a nurse and their thoughts on acquiring the identity of a nurse Design: A qualitative single case study design was employed for the study. Settings: The local acute state general hospital. Participants: 12 newly-graduated nurses who completed the baccalaureate nursing course in 2016 agreed to participate in the study. The participants consisted of 10 females and 2 males whose ages ranged from 20 to 33 years of age. Methods: Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were carried out on a one-to-one basis between the researcher and the participants. Results: Four themes emerged from the data; A whirlwind of emotions: Settling into professional life and realising there is so much more to learn; The nurse in transition: Adjusting to a change in identity; Being everywhere: Relief nursing and a need for a sense of belonging and Lost in the system: The importance of support and guidance for neophyte nurses. Conclusions: The transition is a difficult period for new nurses during which they require the support and understanding of the organisation. A variety of ways may be utilised to aid the transition for newly-graduated nurses which if unsuccessful could have repercussions on the entire healthcare sector.