Social Justice Perceptions of Newly Graduated Nurses: A Grounded Theory Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Social Justice
• Health Equity

Background:

• Nursing is founded on social justice principles, yet health equity remains elusive.
• Unclear social justice perceptions among newly graduated registered nurses (NGRNs) and high turnover rates impede progress.
• Understanding NGRNs' experiences with social justice is vital for improving healthcare outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how NGRNs understand, cocreate, process, and respond to social justice in their practice.
• To develop a theoretical framework explaining the NGRN experience with social justice.
• To propose a situation-specific theory on the evolving identity of social justice in NGRNs.

Main Methods:

• A constructivist grounded theory approach was employed.
• Virtual interviews were conducted with 28 NGRNs.
• Narrative analysis was used to identify key themes and develop a theory.

Main Results:

• A theoretical framework emerged, detailing four co-constructed processes: 'Best Care for All, No Matter What,' 'Importance of Making the Human Connection,' 'Novice Emancipators,' and 'a Supportive Organizational Environment,' alongside a fluid process.
• A situation-specific theory, the 'NGRN Evolving Identity of Social Justice,' was proposed.
• Findings highlight the need to cultivate social justice identity during the transition to practice.

Conclusions:

• Fostering social justice identity in NGRNs is essential for their professional development and retention.
• Integrating social justice into nursing education, onboarding, leadership, and policy can promote person-centered care and health equity.
• Supporting NGRNs as social justice advocates can enhance patient outcomes and drive systemic change toward equity.