A good day in nursing: views of recent Singaporean graduates

This paper arises from the analysis of data from a large Singapore-based survey and a complementary qualitative series of 17 individual interviews. Some results from both arms of the research have been previously analysed and are reported elsewhere. Answers to a series of questions within the questionnaire and the structured interviews have been drawn together under the umbrella of investigating of recent Singaporean graduates' views about the characteristics of a good nurse, a good day at work, and how they uphold ethical standards. Overall five themes emerged, these are: caring for others; respectful interpersonal interaction; rational clinical decision-making; the harsh reality of the workplace; and personal qualities (not easily influenced by formal education). Interviewees believed that potential nursing students should be made aware of the harsh realities they will face on graduation, which may seem counter-intuitive. However, graduates recalled their own struggles and perseverance and toughness to simply survive the early months as a key component of transition shock, indicating that an earlier awareness may be beneficial.