Clinical nurse educators' experience of new graduate nurses' transition into practice following the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND

Graduate registered nurses transitioning into clinical practice are known to feel uncertain about their ability to provide high-quality patient care and meet professional expectations. These concerns may have been magnified following the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM

To explore clinical nurse educators' and new graduate nurses' perspectives on the transition into clinical practice following the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESIGN

An exploratory descriptive qualitative study design was used to allow for flexible interaction with the study participants to collect rich data and themes to develop.

SETTING

The study was conducted at a large not-for-profit healthcare facility in Victoria, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

There were two (2) groups of study participants: six (6) clinical nurse educators and ten (10) graduate year registered nurses.

METHODS

Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted via teleconferencing.

RESULTS

Three (3) key themes explored the experiences of new graduate nurses and the support provided by clinical nurse educators during their transition to clinical practice. The professional challenges of clinical nurse educators following the COVID-19 pandemic were also explored. Five (5) subthemes addressed: increased motivation of graduate nurses entering clinical practice, importance of opportunities for kinaesthetic learning, and relationship building in the clinical environment to strengthen integration into the health service. Pre-registration nursing roles contributed to greater confidence and a smoother transition to clinical practice. Clinical nurse educators identified gaps in communication and clinical skills, but also resilience and determination as key attributes of graduate nurses. Structured study days early in the graduate year resulted in rapid improvements in the graduates' kinaesthetic skills and confidence to practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Completing undergraduate education during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted pre registration nursing students' clinical and communication skill development. Opportunities to work in structured and supported clinical roles prior to registration Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation eased the transition into clinical practice. During their graduate year factors mitigating transition stress included: targeted educational support and integration into clinical teams.