Biography
Biography: Adriana Lilley
Abstract
Nursing programs prepare the new graduate nurse with fundamental skills needed to begin their career as practicing nurses. There seems to be, however, a disconnect between practicum and practice, causing the new graduate nurse to experience a transitional shock as they enter the world of nursing. The purpose of this study was to create and implement a course to facilitate the transition from nursing student to a licensed practicing nurse within the emergency department. Nine nurses with less than one-year nursing experience were surveyed prior to the creation of the course. The survey assessed areas that created the greatest challenge for them as graduate nurses, as well as helpful topics they would like to be included in the course. The graduate nurses attended a six-hour course at a local hospital. Post-survey and post-test showed an increase in competency, confidence, and overall job satisfaction. The results validate the importance of providing new graduate registered nurses with a departmental focused transition course.
Key Words: graduate nurse, transition into practice, transition program, residency, emergency department