Editorial: Reflections on being a new nurse: 10 insights after four weeks as a registered nurse

Abstract

There is quite a considerable body of literature around the transition from student to registered nurse. The transition period is an unavoidable chapter of professional life faced by all nurses, and is a crucial period during which the newly graduated nurse gains the 'skills, knowledge and values required to become an effective member of the nursing workforce' (Department of Human Services 1994, p. 21). It is well recognised as a period of intense stress for new nurses (Clauson 2015), and has been associated with retention (Duchscher 2009). Furthermore, it has been noted that newly graduated nurses are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of burnout during this transition period, with 'alarming levels' of burnout reported in this group (Laschinger et al. 2016, p. 83); this being an additional contributing factor to staff turnover.