Newly qualified nurses' transition from learning to doing: A scoping review.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Professional Development
• Healthcare Transition

Background:

• Newly qualified nurses face significant challenges transitioning into professional practice.
• Understanding these challenges and the effectiveness of support programs is crucial for nurse retention and patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify newly qualified nurses' experiences during their transition to professional practice.
• To explore perceptions of nursing transition programs among nurses and other stakeholders.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework.
• Extensive searches of electronic databases, hand-searching, and grey literature yielded 60 eligible articles published between 1974 and 2019.

Main Results:

• Two main themes emerged: the transition experience and perceived benefits of transition programs.
• Evidence on the positive impact of nursing transition programs on competency, confidence, and attrition is inconclusive.
• Newly qualified nurses continue to face difficulties, with limited research on their experiences and stakeholder perceptions.

Conclusions:

• The transition to professional practice is complex and challenging for newly qualified nurses.
• There is insufficient evidence to support the widespread implementation of current nursing transition programs.
• Further research is warranted to explore the experiences and perceptions of nurses during this critical transition period.