Swedish nursing students' transition into nursing during education

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• The transition from nursing student to registered nurse is a critical phase.
• Understanding student experiences is key to optimizing nursing education.
• Previous research has not fully captured the longitudinal student perspective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of Swedish nursing students during their 3-year education.
• To elucidate the transition process into the nursing role, focusing on experiences with elderly patients.
• To identify key themes influencing the development of nursing identity.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal qualitative study design.
• Semi-structured interviews conducted annually with nursing students.
• Diary entries documenting clinical education experiences in the second and third years.
• Phenomenological-hermeneutic analysis of narrative data.

Main Results:

• Six vital themes emerged, illustrating the continuous transition process.
• Experiences with elderly patients significantly shaped students' understanding of nursing.
• Collaboration and interaction with healthcare team members were crucial influences.
• Development from a student with intrinsic motivation to a job-ready registered nurse.

Conclusions:

• The transition to registered nurse is an ongoing, multifaceted process throughout nursing education.
• Clinical experiences, particularly with vulnerable patient groups, are formative.
• Effective teamwork and mentorship are essential for successful role transition in nursing.