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The relationship between transition shock and professional identity of nursing interns in China: a moderated
Sai Liang1, Naifu Tang2, Han Ban1
1Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Background:
Nursing interns often experience transition shock upon entering clinical practice, which may diminish their professional identity and potentially lead to future turnover. Self-efficacy and feedback-seeking behavior are positive psychological resources for coping with occupational stressors and may be associated with a stronger sense of professional identity. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between transition shock and professional identity among nursing interns and to examine the mediating role of feedback-seeking behavior and the moderating role of self-efficacy in this process.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 450 clinical nursing interns in China using an online questionnaire. The survey comprised the Transition Shock Scale for Undergraduate Nursing Students, the General Self-efficacy Scale, the Feedback-seeking Behavior Scale, and the Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nurse Students. The R package "mediation" and the bootstrap method were used to examine the mediating effect. The R package "lavaan" was further used to test the moderated mediation model. A two-sided p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
Transition shock was negatively correlated with professional identity (r = -0.754, p < 0.001). Feedback-seeking behavior was negatively correlated with transition shock (r = -0.711, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with professional identity (r = 0.862, p < 0.001). Feedback-seeking behavior partially mediated the relationship between transition shock and professional identity (indirect effect = -0.473, 95% CI: -0.557 to -0.391), with the indirect effect accounting for 56.3% of the total effect. Self-efficacy significantly moderated the first stage of the mediation pathway (transition shock to feedback-seeking behavior; β = 0.042, p < 0.001), thereby buffering the negative impact of transition shock on feedback-seeking behavior.
Conclusion:
Transition shock has a direct negative association with nursing interns' professional identity, and feedback-seeking behavior acts as a partial mediator in this relationship. Self-efficacy plays a significant moderating role by buffering the negative association of transition shock with feedback-seeking behavior. These findings provide an empirical basis for hospitals and nursing schools to develop effective strategies aimed at mitigating the impact of transition shock, thereby potentially enhancing professional identity and contributing to the stabilization of the nursing workforce.
