From Transition Shock to Competent Practice: Developing Preceptors to Support New Nurse Transition

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Professional Development
• Healthcare Workforce Retention

Background:

• New graduate nurses (NGRNs) often experience 'transition shock' when moving from academia to professional practice.
• Preceptors are recognized as a key support system for NGRNs during this critical transition period.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured preceptor development program.
• To compare the transition to practice perceptions and first-year retention of NGRNs with trained versus untrained preceptors.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study design was employed.
• Perceptions of transition to practice and first-year retention rates were measured.
• Two groups of NGRNs were assessed: those with preceptors from a structured training program and those with preceptors lacking formal training.

Main Results:

• NGRNs with well-trained preceptors reported more positive perceptions of their ability to provide safe and optimal patient care.
• Higher first-year retention rates were observed in the group of NGRNs who were supported by preceptors from a structured development program.

Conclusions:

• Structured preceptor training programs positively impact the transition experience for new graduate nurses.
• Implementing comprehensive preceptor development can enhance NGRN retention and improve the quality of early professional practice.