Newly graduated nurses' perceptions of work environment: A cross-sectional study in China

To assess the attitudes of newly graduated nurses in China toward their work environment and identify the factors affecting their perception.

Newly graduated nurses are the primary supply to cover the nursing shortage, but their stressful transition into clinical work has contributed to high turnover for decades. Although serving as a source of stress, the work environment can also be a source of support for new nurses.

A total of 2361 new nurses at 31 tertiary hospitals in 20 provinces were surveyed from June to November 2018, using the Chinese version of the Practice Environment Scale-Nursing Work Index. Basic information and their perception about work environment were collected.

New nurses rated their work environment with an overall score of 84.67 (12.85). Multiple linear regression identified that education level, monthly income, hospital type and location, participation (or not) in standardized training programmes and having (or not) a mentor/preceptor were factors significantly associated with their perception of the work environment.

The perception of newly graduated nurses in China was mainly positive overall. Nursing managers may take full advantage of factors affecting the perception of work environment to support newly graduated nurses better, to help their retention and transition.