Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 21, 2026
10:07
Using Learning Outcome Measures to assess Doctoral Nursing Education
Published on: June 22, 2010
Glimpses into the transition world: New graduate nurses' written reflections
Jo Ann Walton1, Natalie Lindsay1, Caz Hales2
1Graduate School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
Nurse Education Today
|October 17, 2017
Summary
New graduate nurses face challenges in their first year, including personal and professional hurdles and emotional labor. Reflective essays reveal these experiences and highlight reflection as a key learning tool for professional development.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Professional Development
- Healthcare Transition
Background:
- Educators observed challenges faced by new graduate nurses during their first year of practice.
- Student questions prompted a closer examination of their experiences during a formal education program.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify challenges and learning experiences of new graduate nurses.
- To analyze reflective assignments from nurses transitioning to registered nurse practice.
Main Methods:
- Thematic analysis of 54 reflective essays from two cohorts of nurses in New Zealand.
- Data collected from nurses completing a postgraduate university course.
Main Results:
- Five key themes emerged: individual attributes, professional behavior, situational challenges (communication, competing demands), rewards, and the utility of reflection.
- Emotional labor in nursing was a significant challenge identified by new graduates.
Conclusions:
- Reflective essays provide insight into new graduate nurses' experiences and challenges.
- Reflection is a valuable tool for both new nurses and educators to understand learning opportunities in clinical practice.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Current Trends in Nursing I
Current trends in nursing include:
01:30Current Trends in Nursing II
Trends in nursing are multifactorial and associated with changes in society, within the nursing profession, and in other professions. Notably, telehealth and remote nursing contribute to successful healthcare delivery for numerous patients and help reduce stress for nurses due to nursing shortages. Nurses can reach patients, monitor their conditions, and interact with them using computers, audio, visual accessories, and telephones—for example, remote patient monitoring systems. Likewise,...
01:22The Professional Nurse
Professional nurses are not limited to bedside care and are taking roles of greater responsibility. A nurse should have a knowledge-based practice, including personal, theoretical, procedural, cultural, and reflexive knowledge. Additionally, nurses must be competent in cognitive, technical, interpersonal, and ethical/legal skills. Some of the best attributes of successful nurses include the following:
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
01:25Fundamentals of Nursing Process II
There are several characteristics related to delivering nursing care. One vital characteristic of the nursing process is that it can be used to protect nurses and justify the provided care. Productive use of the nursing process requires the knowledge and skills of nurses to assess and solve issues. Nurses should develop and strengthen their critical thinking skills and evidence-based nursing interventions to improve their skills in formulating nursing care plans. A well-defined approach to...
01:27Nursing Ethical Principles II
Ethical principles are essential in guiding nurses to fulfill their responsibilities, focusing on the quality of nursing care and decision-making. These principles, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, shape the ethical framework within healthcare settings.
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
01:09Accountability and Responsibility of a Nurse II
Professional accountability in nursing is a multifaceted concept that encompasses professional ethics, legal standards, and employment expectations. This framework ensures that nurses maintain and elevate the quality of care while upholding the values of their profession. It compels them to treat patients, families, and colleagues with respect, compassion, and integrity.
For example, a nurse demonstrating respect and compassion might listen attentively to a patient's concerns, provide comfort...
For example, a nurse demonstrating respect and compassion might listen attentively to a patient's concerns, provide comfort...