Nurse Transitions

The healthcare industry is continuously changing and advancing and nurses are assuming more leadership functions in a variety of settings with increased independence. Nursing shortages and high patient-nurse ratios place increased stress on today's nurse (Celia & Gordon, 2000; Grindel, 2003). Newly graduated nurses report their concern regarding a lack of confidence, knowledge, and competence. As the nurse transitions from the role of senior student to the role of qualified staff nurse, these concerns result in high levels of stress and role uncertainty (Higuchi & Donald, 2002; Whitehead, 2001).

While nurse educators strive to prepare students with skills and expertise, in the practice of nursing, clinical experiences are necessary to acquire this knowledge and ability (Roche, 2002). Whitehead (2001) stated that nurse students heading for this transition must be prepared for reality rather than what may be ideal in a clinical setting. Students tend to have an unrealistic view of nursing based on what is taught in school and they need to experience what actually occurs on the wards. The shift from learner to worker leads to role conflicts as well. The new staff nurse may lack the required skills to be considered a competent practitioner. Findings from interviews with six subjects showed that participants reported uncertainty, fear, and trepidation about their fir

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commitments, pressures, goals, and motivations (Nelson, 1999, p. 1049). Within this context, preceptors must understand that they must use teaching strategies that will facilitate the learning of an adult which required learning that is highly individualized (Nelson, 1999; Ridley, Laschinger, & Goldenberg, 1995). The preceptorship experience must utilize adult learning principles since they can help with the new nurse transition. The adult new nurse will be motivated by their immediate concerns and needs to learn and task-related information will be applied immediately. By sharing experiences, skills, knowledge, and expertise, the nurse preceptor is utilizing a form of adult learning (Nelson, 1999). Intervention Implementation The current preceptorship program intervention is based on programs presented by Olson, Nelson, Stuart, Young, Kleinsasser, Schroedermeier, and Newstrom (2001) and Roche, 2002. The program will involve fourth semester nursing students from an ADN institution and registered nurses from contracted hospitals. The nurses will serve as preceptors; they are required to have more than two years of experience as a RN on the nursing unit and will preferably hold a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. The precep
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Approximate Word count = 2892
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page)

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