Developing and validating the transition status scale for newly graduated nurses in China

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Psychometrics
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• The transition from student to registered nurse is a critical period.
• Newly graduated nurses face challenges impacting their integration and retention.
• A reliable tool is needed to assess this transition phase.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Transition Status Scale (TSS) for newly graduated nurses.
• To examine the psychometric properties of the TSS.
• To provide a reliable instrument for assessing new nurse transition.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploration for item generation.
• Item analysis with 73 nurses to refine the scale.
• Psychometric evaluation using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis on 814 valid questionnaires.

Main Results:

• The final scale comprised five factors: Interpersonal integration, Profession-related positive emotion, Competence for nursing work, Active coping strategies, and Balance between work and life.
• These factors explained 68.87% of the total variance.
• Cronbach's alpha was 0.891, indicating good internal consistency; confirmatory factor analysis supported acceptable model fit.

Conclusions:

• The Transition Status Scale for Newly Graduated Nurses possesses robust psychometric properties.
• The scale offers a convenient and effective method for measuring new nurse transition status.
• Results can inform nursing interventions and evaluate transition programs.