Newly qualified nurses' and midwives' experience with continuing professional development during transition: A...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Professional Development
• Healthcare Workforce Transition

Background:

• Newly qualified nurses and midwives face significant challenges transitioning into their first registered roles.
• Continuing professional development (CPD) is crucial for building competence, confidence, and job satisfaction during this transition.
• Effective CPD support can improve retention rates in the nursing and midwifery professions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of newly qualified nurses and midwives with continuing professional development (CPD).
• To identify factors associated with CPD participation during the transition period.
• To examine the relationship between CPD, job satisfaction, and intention to leave the profession.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 476 newly qualified nurses and midwives from Ireland, Italy, and Croatia.
• Data were collected via an online survey including the Questionnaire of Professional Development of Nurses (Q-PDN), job satisfaction scales, and questions on intention to leave.
• Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the combined results.

Main Results:

• Only 32% of participants were satisfied with CPD opportunities, though 89% desired formal CPD.
• Participation in newly qualified nurse support programs and mandatory CPD activities was positively associated with job satisfaction.
• Working in community or maternity settings showed a positive association with job satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Participation in transition support programs significantly increases job satisfaction for newly qualified nurses and midwives.
• Healthcare institutions must provide enhanced formal and informal support, alongside a better learning environment, for transitioning nurses and midwives.
• Addressing the need for better CPD and support is essential for nurse and midwife retention.