Registered nurses' experiences of the graduate nurse residency program: A qualitative study

The turnover of new graduate nurses is a critical issue worldwide. A key contributing factor is the highly stressful transition from student to registered nurse. Graduate nurse residency programs support new graduate nurses during this transition and facilitate professional development.

This study aimed to gain insight into the experiences of registered nurses' in the graduate nurse residency program.

A descriptive qualitative study design using thematic analyses.

This study was conducted in an academic tertiary hospital in Singapore.

Registered nurses who completed the graduate nurse residency program were selected using a purposive sampling approach.

This study was conducted from September to December 2023. A total of 19 registered nurses were invited to an individual semi-structured interview. The interviews were either conducted online through Zoom or instant messaging. The Zoom interviews were audio- and video-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A six-step inductive thematic analysis was used for data analysis.

Two themes depicting nurses' experiences of the graduate nurse residency program were elucidated, (1) easing the shift from student to registered nurse; and (2) facilitating the transition to becoming a competent nurse. The participants alluded to the importance of the graduate nurse residency program in playing a supportive role in enabling their transition. The provision of technical and soft skills were valued by the participants. The graduate nurse residency program also aided in participants' professional development through evidence implementation and mentorship. The graduate nurse residency program was an enabler of participants' intent to stay in the nursing profession.

The findings of this study show that nurses viewed the graduate nurse residency program in a positive light. The provision of a multi-modal graduate nurse residency structured program focusing on building clinical competencies, mentorship, and evidence implementation projects can promote new graduate nurses' transition into professional practice. Further research is needed to examine the long term impacts of graduate nurse residency programs using cohort or randomized controlled trials.