New nurse graduates’ preparedness for practice and the impact on their transition into practice

Background: New graduate nurses face a plethora of change as they enter into the workforce as registered nurses (RN) after school. Graduates of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs are hired to work in the same positions, despite there being a difference in curriculum at these programs. However, given the ongoing nursing shortage nationwide, it is important to understand the factors, such as their degree, influencing their transition into the workforce. Methods: A correlational secondary analysis study was implemented to examine data collected from the 259 participants of a nurse residency program at a major academic medical center. The Casey Fink Experience Survey assessed their comfort levels performing clinical and nursing skills and identifying the most difficult aspects of transitioning to the RN role at the start of the residency program, and at 6 months, and 12 months into the program. Descriptive statistics and independent t-tests were performed to compare experiences and perceptions of ADN and BSN nurses. Results: The findings indicate that both ADN and BSN nurses identified similar challenges related to workload and lack of confidence during transition. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in their comfortability performing skills or transition difficulties. Conclusion: This study highlights the similar challenges new graduate nurses face, despite their educational background, and suggests the importance of structured nurse residency programs and support healthcare organizations can provide these nurses to aid in their transition to practice.