"Hit the Ground Running": Perspectives of New Nurses and Nurse Managers on Role Transition and Integration of New Graduates

Abstract

The workplace for new graduates must be a constructive learning environment to facilitate their development. Nurse managers need new graduates who can "hit the ground running." Conflict between the needs of new nurses and the realities of the workplace often creates role confusion and tension in new graduates and threatens employers' ability to retain them. As part of a larger study that examined the effectiveness of a new strategy on new nurse retention and workplace integration, we conducted focus groups with new nurses and nurse managers. This paper discusses the perspectives of new nurses on their role transition from graduates to practising professionals and the perspectives of nurse managers on the workplace integration of new nurses. The thematic findings integrate new nurses' perspectives on their needs during role transition with the perspectives of nurse managers in meeting those needs. The discussion includes strategies to facilitate successful transition and integration of new nurses into the workplace within the context of recruitment and retention.