The graduate nurse experience: qualitative residency program outcomes.

Graduate nurses experience role conflict and stress as they begin practice in work environments of high complexity, nurse shortages, and expectations to become competent rapidly. The authors report outcomes from a study that evaluated qualitative responses to the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey administered to graduate nurse residents in the University HealthSystem Consortium/American Association of Colleges of Nursing postbaccalaureate nurse residency program at 12 academic hospital sites. Qualitative analysis provided sufficient evidence to convert specific open-ended questions on the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey instrument to a quantitative format for ease of administration and analysis.