A qualitative exploration of nursing students’ readiness to transition into the profession

Background The final semester of nursing education is a stressful period as students prepare to transition from academic training to professional practice. This transition requires readiness, including clinical competence, psychological preparedness, and the ability to apply theoretical knowledge in patient care. Objective To explore how nursing students nearing graduation describe their transition into their future roles as registered nurses. Design Qualitative exploratory design. Setting A university in Sweden. Participants Twelve final-semester nursing students. Methods Data were collected through focus group interviews (n = 3) and individual interviews (n = 5) between November 2022 and January 2023. Inductive qualitative content analysis was applied. Results One overarching theme emerged: Leaving security—transitioning into an unpredictable storm with a feeling of ambivalent readiness. Five categories were identified: Reflecting on the nurse’s role, Feeling ready but insecure, Continued learning process after graduation, Challenges and concerns regarding future profession, and Dealing with uncertainty in the new role. Conclusions Students felt prepared and eager to begin professional practice while recognizing its complexity and challenges. They remained confident, humble, and optimistic in facing their new role.