Newly Graduated Swedish Nurses' Inadequacy in Developing Professional Competence

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Professional Development
• Healthcare Workforce Transition

Background:

• The transition from student to professional nurse is a challenging period.
• Recent graduates face difficulties in developing professional competence during this phase.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of recent nursing graduates in developing professional competence.
• To understand their journey through basic nursing programs and the first year of practice.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive design utilizing an inductive approach.
• Data collected through interviews with 11 nurses.
• Analysis conducted using qualitative content analysis.

Main Results:

• Graduating nurses report challenges with competence development and experience shortages.
• Reflection is identified as a critical tool for professional competence.
• A significant gap exists between academic settings and healthcare organizations, not between theoretical and practical knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Integrating theoretical knowledge with practical application can bridge the gap between educational institutions and healthcare settings.
• Fostering opportunities for reflection is essential for the professional learning process.
• This approach supports the foundation for lifelong learning and professional competence.