New Graduate Nurses, Transition Shock
Rachel Gable
Grand Canyon University

NUR 433V

November 25, 2012

New Graduate Nurses, Transition Shock

Nursing is by nature a stressful occupation. Making that even more stressful, newly licensed nurses are being thrown into the profession more and more without the proper orientation and training. Although newly licensed nurses have achieved the legal and professional requirements of minimal competence to enter practice, studies indicate that many new nurses lack the clinical skills and judgment needed to provide safe, competent practice (Dyess & Sherman, 2009). The rapid deployment of new graduates into clinical settings where they assume professional responsibilities on the same level as a seasoned nurse and is becoming more of a serious issue today. The purpose of this study is to determine the learning and transition needs and recommendations of the new graduate nurse.

In a recent survey done by Berkow, Virkstis, Stewart and Conway in 2009, only ten percent of the health system executive nurses believed that newly graduated nurses were ready to deliver safe patient care. Typically new graduate nurses receive up to six months or less of orientation and training in hospitals. This is not sufficient time for the new graduate nurse to feel comfortable with critical thinking skills, communication and time management. This is especially important because of the high acuity of today’s patients and can lead to medication errors and unsafe patient care. The purpose of the study was to find new recommendations for training and transitioning nurses in order for them to deliver safe and competent care. The study was done by firstly acquiring newly graduate nurses who had graduated in a year or less, had minimal nursing experience and had either their Baccalaureate or associate degree. The grant supported Novice