Graduate nurses’ experience of support, training, and education during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q2 NURSING

Collegian Pub Date : 2025-02-28 DOI:10.1016/j.colegn.2025.02.002

Jessie Bange, Weili Gao, Kimberley Crawford

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Newly graduated registered nurses have described elements of their first year of employment as stressful, draining, and demanding. The COVID-19 pandemic was an additional challenge for them during an already daunting transitional phase. Developing this future workforce requires adequate support, education, and training provision.

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore newly graduated registered nurses experiences and perceptions of support, education, and training received during the first rotation of their graduate nursing program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

The qualitative descriptive design aligned with the interpretive paradigm was utilised.

Methods

A combination of purposive and convenience sampling enabled the recruitment of any newly graduated registered nurse who was employed in a Victorian graduate nursing program during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). Semistructured interviews were conducted from July 2022 until February 2023. Fourteen participants were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically.

Results

Three themes were established: Transition to practice, Development of graduate nurses, and Support of graduate nurses. Participants reported that there was an absence of educators, so there were situations of accelerated learning or self-education within continually evolving environments. Professional confidence was reduced as their learning came to a halt, and there was a lack of education and training opportunities, which caused the newly graduated registered nurses to question their clinical abilities. Clinical competence was increased with positive, supportive, and consistent learning opportunities.

Conclusions

Newly graduated registered nurse education, training, and support experiences were potentially inadequate, limiting future practice abilities. To ensure inexperienced nurses develop into future nurse leaders, it is essential that they are supported by educators and provided with ample training opportunities.

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来源期刊

Collegian NURSING-

CiteScore

2.70

自引率

6.70%

发文量

127

审稿时长

72 days

期刊介绍： Collegian: The Australian Journal of Nursing Practice, Scholarship and Research is the official journal of Australian College of Nursing (ACN). The journal aims to reflect the broad interests of nurses and the nursing profession, and to challenge nurses on emerging areas of interest. It publishes research articles and scholarly discussion of nursing practice, policy and professional issues. Papers published in the journal are peer reviewed by a double blind process using reviewers who meet high standards of academic and clinical expertise. Invited papers that contribute to nursing knowledge and debate are published at the discretion of the Editor. The journal, online only from 2016, is available to members of ACN and also by separate subscription. ACN believes that each and every nurse in Australia should have the opportunity to grow their career through quality education, and further our profession through representation. ACN is the voice of influence, providing the nursing expertise and experience required when government and key stakeholders are deciding the future of health.