Newly Graduated Nurses at Work: A Qualitative Study From the Stress Process Perspective

This qualitative descriptive study explores the stress experiences, appraisal, and coping strategies of newly graduated nurses. The transition to professional practice is inherently stressful, and based on the transactional theory of stress and coping, effective appraisal and coping are crucial for stress management. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 NGNs, and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis until saturation was achieved. The findings revealed three major themes: (1) primary appraisal: highlighting stressors related to work task and interpersonal relationships; (2) secondary appraisal: involving internal and external resources; and (3) coping: including problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. Notably, problem-focused coping was identified as more sustainable, whereas emotion-focused coping was often short-term and required reflection and replacement. The study concludes that targeted occupational psychoeducation and robust support systems are essential to enhance NGNs’ stress appraisal and coping capacities. Nursing managers should promote positive problem-focused coping and address short-term emotion-focused coping through reflective practice and training. These insights are highly relevant for clinical practice, emphasizing the need to reduce NGNs’ stress by focusing on appraisal processes and fostering effective coping mechanisms.