Factors associated with New Graduate Nurses' Reality Shock

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that affect reality shock in new nurses. Methods: Participants were 216 newly graduated nurses with less than 1 year experience in 5 university and 10 general hospitals in Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam, A self-report questionnaire was completed by the nurses between November 18 and December 25, 2013. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA and hierarchial multiple regression analysis with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 Program. Results: Average scores for work environment and environmental reality shock were 2.63±0.33 and 2.66±0.43 points respectively. Regression analysis showed that with the nurses' demographic and work characteristics controlled, work environment explained 4.2% of the reality shock. Factors significantly affecting reality shock included nurses' changing residence because of job (β=.21, p=.001), whether they were able to work on the unit of their choice (β=-.13, p=.031) and whether they had a choice in days off (β=-.14, p=.038). Conclusion: When these factors are considered, reduction in nurses' reality shock requires improvement in work environment, placing new nurses in a department of their choice and allowing them a choice in off-duty days. These measures would also help achieve organizational goals and develop the new nurses as professional nurses.