Employing newly qualified nurses to work in hospices: A qualitative interview study

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care Nursing
• Nursing Workforce Development
• Qualitative Health Research

Background:

• Hospices face challenges in recruiting and retaining registered nurses.
• Newly qualified nurses (NQN) represent a potential workforce for hospice settings.
• Understanding NQN experiences in hospices is crucial for effective recruitment and retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of newly qualified nurses working in hospices.
• To understand these experiences from both NQN and senior nurse perspectives.
• To inform recruitment and retention strategies for hospice employment.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interview study design.
• Semi-structured interviews conducted with six NQNs and five senior nurses.
• Data collected from four UK hospices between March and July 2017.

Main Results:

• NQN reported coping well and gaining unique professional development opportunities in hospices.
• Concerns were raised regarding a perceived lack of technical clinical skills training.
• NQN highlighted the acquisition of transferable end-of-life care and communication skills.

Conclusions:

• Hospices can be a suitable environment for NQNs, supporting targeted recruitment strategies.
• Senior nurses viewed NQN employment positively but shared concerns about skills training.
• Emphasizing transferable skills in recruitment campaigns can enhance hospice appeal to NQNs.