Newly qualified intensive care nurses’ lived experiences of being a shift leader in a private healthcare institution in Gauteng, South Africa

OBJECTIVE: Newly qualified intensive care nurses (NQICNs) are expected to execute the shift-leading role immediately after graduation. Critical reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and evidence-based clinical judgment are thus essential skills for intensive care nursing graduates. This study aimed to explore and describe NQICNs’ lived experiences of being shift leaders. METHODS: This descriptive qualitative study was based on the data collected through semi-structured individual interviews. Five NQICNs in five hospitals from one region in Gauteng, South Africa, were interviewed between September and December 2019. NQICNs working as shift leaders for 10 to 12 months after intensive care training were eligible for inclusion in the study. Data were analyzed using the four steps suggested by Giorgi. RESULTS: The results revealed three themes and seven sub-themes. NQICNs suffered greatly intrapersonally (NQICNs reported intrapersonal suffering, manifesting as pre-shift anxiety, severe work stress, and post-shift exhaustion; NQICNs employed coping mechanisms and either fought, fled, or froze during conflict or crises; NQICNs lack of shift-leading experience did not match their heavy load of responsibilities and accountability); the NQICNs interpersonally matured and empowered themselves (NQICNs experienced support and challenges on an interpersonal level; NQICNs improved their interpersonal relationships and felt proud of and empowered by their professional growth); NQICNs highlighted various requirements to help them manage the high demands of leading shifts (others should fulfill certain needs to enable NQICNs to handle the shift-leading role; self-awareness as a need to enable NQICNs to embrace the shift-leading role). CONCLUSION: A greater understanding of NQICNs and their unmet needs will enable nurse managers, educators, and nurses to better support NQICNs’ evolution from novice to competent shift leaders.