The experience of new graduate nurses in rural practice: A phenomenological study

Abstract

In Australia, rural nursing is a distinct practice and rural nurses constitute the largest group in the rural health workforce. However, the rural workforce is ageing, the turnover of nurses in rural areas is high, and attracting nurses to these areas is increasingly difficult. The possibility of attracting a substantial number of nurses from metropolitan and urban areas remains remote whilst there is an overall shortage of nurses. Thus, rural health services are experiencing recruitment and retention difficulties, and a lack of attention to these workforce issues from universities, rural and remote nursing organisations, and the Federal Government has further compounded the situation. Despite this, little is known about the recruitment and retention of new graduates in rural health areas and the potential long-term investment they could offer to rural health services. In addition, there has been very little research conducted which specifically focuses on the new graduate's experience of rural nursing practice. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the journey of transition for new graduate nurses in rural practice and to develop an understanding of the meanings that graduates have of their transition experience.