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Graduate nurses' adjustment to initial employment: natural field work
1Nursing Department, Auckland Technical Institute, New Zealand.
Journal of Advanced Nursing
|August 1, 1989
Summary
New graduate nurses face challenges as nursing school ideals differ from hospital practices. Management support is needed to bridge this gap for a fully qualified nursing workforce.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Healthcare Management
- Organizational Behavior
Background:
- Introduction of comprehensive nursing courses in New Zealand.
- Transition of new graduate nurses into general hospital settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To understand the initial employment experiences of new graduate nurses.
- To explore the alignment between nursing education and clinical practice.
- To identify factors influencing the integration of new nurses into hospital settings.
Main Methods:
- Naturalistic field work methods.
- Participant observation during the first 3-4 months of employment.
- Qualitative data analysis to identify emergent themes.
Main Results:
- A significant divergence exists between the rhetoric of nursing schools and the practice in general hospitals.
- New graduate nurses encounter challenges in reconciling educational ideals with workplace realities.
- Management practices do not yet fully support the comprehensive nursing course ideals or a totally qualified workforce.
Conclusions:
- Implications for improving nursing education to better prepare graduates for clinical practice.
- Recommendations for enhancing management support systems for newly employed nurses.
- The study highlights the need for greater alignment between educational institutions and healthcare organizations to foster a competent nursing workforce.