Changes in the school-to-work transition for Canadian nursing program graduates

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Labor Economics
• Sociology of Work

Background:

• The school-to-work transition is a critical phase for post-secondary graduates.
• Nursing workforce dynamics are influenced by educational supply and labor market demands.
• Understanding historical trends in graduate employment is vital for policy and planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in the school-to-work transition for Canadian nursing graduates from 1978 to 1992.
• To identify temporal trends in employment patterns (full-time vs. part-time, permanent vs. temporary) for nursing program alumni.
• To analyze the impact of labor market shifts on the early career experiences of registered nurses.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal analysis of four cohorts of nursing graduates using National Graduates Surveys (Statistics Canada).
• Examination of employment status (full-time, part-time, temporary, permanent) approximately two years post-graduation.
• Correlation of employment trends with documented changes in the Canadian healthcare labor market.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in part-time employment and a decrease in full-time employment were observed among nursing graduates over the study period.
• The proportion of temporary positions rose, while permanent employment opportunities declined.
• These shifts indicate a more difficult school-to-work transition for nursing graduates compared to earlier cohorts.

Conclusions:

• The Canadian nursing labor market experienced significant changes between 1978 and 1992, negatively impacting graduate employment outcomes.
• The transition from an era of nursing shortages to layoffs and closures created challenges for new registered nurses.
• Findings highlight the need for policies addressing graduate employment and labor market stability in the nursing profession.