The orientation experiences of urgent care nurses: sources of learning

The purpose of this qualitative study was to characterize and explain the unique features relating to the orientation of newly hired nurses in an urgent care setting. The learning needs of professionally experienced nurses are examined as nurses change their context of work. The methodology for this study was exploratory, using descriptive and evaluative case studies. Nurses identified how additional knowledge was learned when they recognized gaps between what they know and what they need to know. The findings included an urgent care nursing perspective of orientations and consisted of four sources of learning: natural, self-directed, peer-directed, and organization-directed. The narratives shared by these nurses strengthen and advance the communication of those who help adults learn.