Perceived needs and coping resources of newly hired nurses

OBJECTIVE: Newly hired nurses who do not transition well often leave their first nursing position or nursing prematurely, at great cost to themselves, the profession, hiring organizations and patients. The purpose of this secondary analysis study was to better understand the transition experience of new graduate nurses and experienced nurses as they moved to a new setting in nursing, and the preceptor’s role in that transition. METHODS: Schlossberg’s Transition Theory provided the framework for the secondary analysis of a large qualitative data set that were collected from 118 newly hired nurses who were predominantly female and Caucasian with the majority being under the age of 30 years and having less than 1-year experience. The data available for secondary analysis included all transcripts from the original study. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified: Institutional Support and Sense of Self. DISCUSSION: Preceptors are critical early in the transition and the newly hired nurse continues to look for support beyond the first year of the transition. Hospitals should consider implementing transition to practice programs that support the newly hired nurse, to include those with prior experience, throughout the first year of transition and should also consider a mentorship program of support after the first year.