The Lived Experience of First-Year Nurses at Work

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Qualitative Research
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• High turnover and burnout rates among newly licensed nurses indicate critical issues in early career support.
• The transition from nursing school to independent practice presents unique and often overwhelming challenges for new graduates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of newly licensed registered nurses during their first year of practice.
• To identify key themes influencing new nurses' job satisfaction, confidence, and retention.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed.
• In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 newly licensed registered nurses.

Main Results:

• Identified themes include the impact of nursing school, hospital orientation effectiveness, teamwork environment, self-care importance, confidence development, and managing expectations versus reality in clinical interactions.
• New nurses reported struggles impacting their well-being and professional adjustment.
• Orientation programs in northern Indiana were perceived as adequate for preparing new graduates.

Conclusions:

• Understanding new nurses' experiences offers valuable insights for nursing students and educators.
• Strategies to support new nurses' transition, including enhanced orientation and self-care emphasis, are essential for mitigating burnout and improving retention.
• The findings highlight the need for continued evaluation and improvement of early-career nursing support systems.