Predictors of new graduate nurses’ health over the first 4 years of practice

AIM: To examine predictors of Canadian new graduate nurses’ health outcomes over 1 year. DESIGN: A time‐lagged mail survey was conducted. METHOD: New graduate nurses across Canada (N = 406) responded to a mail survey at two time points: November 2012–March 2013 (Time 1) and May–July 2014 (Time 2). Multiple linear regression (mental and overall health) and logistic regression (post‐traumatic stress disorder risk) analyses were conducted to assess the impact of Time 1 predictors on Time 2 health outcomes. RESULTS: Both situational and personal factors were significantly related to mental and overall health and post‐traumatic stress disorder risk. Regression analysis identified that cynicism was a significant predictor of all three health outcomes, while occupational coping self‐efficacy explained unique variance in mental health and work–life interference explained unique variance in post‐traumatic stress disorder risk.