The adjustment experience of new graduate nurses to acute care on Prince Edward Island: an interpretive descriptive study

Abstract

Many studies have been completed on the new graduate nurse transition experience but not specific to new graduates in acute care facilities on Prince Edward Island (PEI). The purpose of this study was to use an interpretive descriptive approach to examine this experience for ten new graduates in two acute care facilities on Prince Edward Island. Research interest was in trying to understand the underlying adjustments within the required transition and what could help or hinder these adjustments. All participants were interviewed within two years of graduation and the findings indicate that the adjustment experience for these new graduates is comparable to the experiences of registered nurses (RN’s) elsewhere in Canada and abroad. New graduates on PEI experience four areas of adjustment which include social: taking on a new status; developmental: developing clinical expertise for area of practice; organizational: changing contractual relationships; and occupational: changing nature of work. Facilitators and barriers to adjustment are present with each particular area. Findings may provide a greater understanding of the main transitions that new graduates make as they move from the role of a student to an RN on PEI, as well as implications for nursing educators, administrators and researchers.