Role Transition from Student Nurses to Registered Nurses

Abstract

Role transition from student nurses to registered nurses is considered a crisis period for new nurses. This descriptive qualitative research aimed to illustrate new nurses’ experiences of role transition from student nurses to novice nurses. Informants were 18 new nurses who had work experiences less than 2 years and worked in central and general hospitals. Those were selected by a purposive sampling. Data were collected using an in-depth interview lasting 45-60 minutes, and were analyzed using a thematic analysis. The findings illustrated three categories including; 1) survival stage which new nurses faced to work pressure and stress and considerably adapted themselves to survive in work life; 2) co-operation stage which new nurses adapted themselves to collaboratively work and decrease to seek helps from others as well as developed their work skills, and 3) self-worth stage which new nurses improved maturity of role transition and gained acceptance from others and pride in nursing.

According to the findings, nurse administrators should have strategies for helping novice nurses about work experiences, work and time management, including having mentors to support them. To do so, novice nurses will successfully pass through role transition stages, and become good nurses in the future.