Socialization of new graduate nurses in critical care

To examine the modified contingency theory of role socialization with new graduate nurses in critical care.

Descriptive comparative.

Six midwestern hospitals with 12 types of critical care units.

Fifty new graduate nurses and 89 experienced registered nurses in critical care.

The socialization variables of precepting, support systems, assignment congruence, role conception, self-confidence, affective responses, commitment, job satisfaction, confronting reality, mutual influence, resolution of outside life conflicts, and resolution of conflicting demands at work were measured. New graduates responded to questionnaires about socialization at 1 to 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of employment. Experienced nurses completed a questionnaire about socialization once, simultaneously with the 1- to 2-week data collection for new graduates.

At initial employment new graduates differed from experienced nurses in role conception, self-confidence, and commitment to profession. After 6 months of employment new graduates differed from experienced nurses in self-confidence and mutual influence. For new graduates, positive precepting experiences, support systems, and assignment congruence were related to high self-confidence, low anxiety, high commitment, high job satisfaction, and low role conflict and ambiguity. These variables were also associated with the development of role conception.

The study results lend considerable support to the modified contingency theory of role socialization. Positive precepting experiences, support systems, and assignment congruence contributed to successful socialization for the new graduates in this study.