Conceptual Plurality in Transition Programmes for Newly Hired Nurses: An Umbrella Review

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Workforce Development
• Evidence Synthesis

Background:

• Nurse transition programmes are crucial for supporting newly hired nurses and enhancing workforce retention.
• Existing reviews exhibit conceptual inconsistency and methodological heterogeneity, limiting evidence interpretation.
• An umbrella review is needed to synthesize and critically evaluate review-level evidence on these programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and critically examine review-level evidence on nurse transition programmes.
• To clarify programme typologies, contexts, methodological approaches, and reported outcomes.
• To identify thematic patterns in the evaluation of nurse transition programmes.

Main Methods:

• Conducted an umbrella review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
• Performed systematic searches across major databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar) and citation tracking.
• Included 14 reviews (12 primary, 2 secondary) published between 2010 and 2025.

Main Results:

• Programme models and outcome measures were highly heterogeneous with minimal primary study overlap between reviews.
• Common strategies include preceptorships, simulation, and active learning methods to build competence and confidence.
• Professional outcomes (competence, confidence) were consistently reported; organizational outcomes (retention) showed mixed evidence; patient outcomes were rarely examined.

Conclusions:

• Significant conceptual plurality exists in nurse transition programme evaluations.
• There is an urgent need to standardize key indicators for evaluating programme effectiveness globally.
• Standardized evaluation is essential for improving nurse retention and healthcare outcomes.