Becoming a good nurse - Socialisation of newly employed nurses into the oncological clinic

Success factors in adaptation of newly graduated nurses: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Difficulties in adapting to the workplace can affect newly graduated nurses' transition. Such nurses must adapt quickly, as it can affect their future career prospects. Therefore, this review aimed to identify the success factors that promote newly graduated nurses' effective transition and adaptation.

METHODS

The Joanna Briggs Institute scoping reviews methodology was used. Data were extracted from MEDLINE, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science publications published between 2011 and 2020. A total of 23 articles were included in this review, which comprised qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods primary research studies focusing on the contributing factors that aided newly graduated nurses' adaptation to the work environment during their transition period. Key emerging themes were identified with thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three main themes were identified: (1) organisational contribution (social development, organisational culture, work characteristics, work readiness, work commitment, professional role), (2) personality traits (self-embodiment, personality masking, being proactive and confident), and (3) academic institutions (pre-entry knowledge and role of nursing faculty). Newly graduated nurses' adaptation should begin during nursing education, be supported by the workplace organisation, and driven by the nurse's personality. We determined that that the role of nursing education in aiding the provision of the required knowledge and actual clinical experiences to students profoundly affected developing nurses' self-confidence levels in delivering nursing care effectively. Additionally, a warm environment supported nurses emotionally and physically.

CONCLUSIONS

While organisations and educational institutions have undertaken numerous efforts to ensure that newly graduated nurses are adequately supported, the nurse's personality and values are also equally important to ease adaptation during the transition process. Academic and workplace programs designed for newly graduated nurses should apply and emphasise this knowledge to develop and strengthen their personalities and values, especially to increase confidence and promote proactive values that facilitate newly graduated nurses' rapid and effective adaptation to their new employment.

Scandinavian Nurses’ Use of Social Media during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Berger and Luckman Inspired Analysis of a Qualitative Interview Study

There is a knowledge gap about nurses’ use of social media in relation to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, which demands the upholding of a physical distance to other people, including patients and their relatives. The study aims to explore how nurses in the Scandinavian countries used social media for professional purposes in relation to the first 15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 30 nurses in three Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) were conducted. Thematic analyses were made, methodically inspired by Braun and Clarke, and theoretically inspired by Berger and Luckmann’s theory about the construction of social reality. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) checklist was used. The results showed that social media was a socialisation tool for establishing new routines in clinical practice. Virtual meeting places supported collective understandings of a specific COVID-19 ‘reality’ and ‘knowledge’ amongst nurses, with the pandemic bringing to the fore the issue of e-professionalism among nurses relating to their clinical practice. However, social media and virtual education were not commonly used in patient contacts. Further, nurses attempted a re-socialisation of the public to proper COVID-19 behaviour through social media. Moreover, blurred boundaries between acting as a private individual and a professional nurse were identified, where ethics of the nursing profession extended to nurses’ private lives.

Smoothing the Way Into School Nursing Practice

Role transition can be a struggle for new or seasoned nurses moving into the specialty of school. School nursing, a specialized field that entails a scope of practice and competencies very different from other settings, is not taught in many primary nursing education programs. New nurses may find themselves unprepared for their role without a proper orientation, causing them to feel anxious and not ready to care for students properly, leading to attrition. This article describes the barriers and facilitators to smooth role transition and provides evidence-based orientation strategies for new school nurses.

Manoeuvring between interplay and context- an ethnographic study of social interaction in encounters between registered nurses, older patients and their relatives

Background

Social interactions between registered nurses, older patients and their relatives are essential and play a central role in developing a successful care relationship in healthcare encounters. How nurses interact with patients affects the patient’s well-being. Limited time and demands for efficiency influence the encounter and complaints from patients and relatives often concern social interactions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the social interaction in encounters between registered nurses, older patients and their relatives at a department of medicine for older people.

Methods

The study has an ethnographic approach including participatory observations (n = 21) and informal field conversations (n = 63), followed by a thematic analysis with an abductive approach reflecting Goffman’s interactional perspective.

Result

The result revealed a pattern where the participants manoeuvred between interplay and context. By manoeuvring, they defined roles but also created a common social situation. Nurses led the conversation; patients followed and described their health problems, while relatives captured the moment to receive and provide information. Finally, nurses summarised the encounter using ritual language, patients expressed gratitude through verbal and non-verbal expressions, while relatives verbally confirmed the agreements.

Conclusion

The social interaction between registered nurses, older patients and relatives was shaped by a pattern where the participants manoeuvred between interplay and context. When all participants assume responsibility for the social interaction, they become active and listen to each other. The approach adopted by nurses is crucial, thus training in communication and social interaction skills are important. When the asymmetry due to imbalance, is reduced, less misunderstanding and a satisfactory care relationship can be achieved.

Communication culture in cancer nursing care: an ethnographic study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to explore the communication culture in nursing care of patients with cancer.

METHODS

This ethnographic study was conducted in 2018-2019. Data were collected through participatory observation (318 h of observing nurses, patients, and family behaviors), semi-structured interviews (8 interviews with nurses), and informal interactions. Data were analyzed using Spradley's framework.

RESULTS

The study results in five cultural components of "communication determinants," "experimental acquisition of communication skills," "gradual empathetic communication," "avoidant communication with patient," and "communication with family as caregiver." "Communication between nurse, patient and family is an experimental, gradual and avoidant relationship" was the study's cultural statement.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the nurse-patient communication was influenced by factors related to the patient, the nurse and the care environment, and nurses acquired communication skills experimentally. There were two patterns of empathetic and avoidant communication between the nurse and the patient. For having high-quality care, nurses' behavioral patterns must be improved and changed in some cases. Nursing professors, managers, and nurses can use these results in training, hiring, orienting novice nurses, and empowering oncology nurses. Training communication skills to nurses and changing managers and nurses' approach to move from task-oriented care to holistic care help improve nurses' communication patterns.

The transition from nursing student to practicing nurse: An integrative review of transition to practice programs

The transition from student to novice is a difficult time. Although the novice nurse is excited to start working, the nurse struggles with acclimating to a new role with new responsibilities and the need to reconcile disparities between what was taught in school and what is practiced in the real world. To lessen the impact of the transition experience, health care organizations have implemented transition-to-practice programs including orientations, preceptorships, and residencies. Despite these efforts, if the novice nurse does not find these programs helpful, there is still a risk that the transition experience will not conclude with successful results. This integrative review examined qualitative studies that explored the transition-to-practice experience of novice nurses who participated in a transition-to-practice program provided by their place of employment. Thirteen articles met the criteria for this integrative review; seven themes emerged from the commonalities in the studies: socialization, professional growth, feeling supported, transition challenges, reflections, transition shock, and feelings. Though the transition period includes unique experiences for each novice nurse, the common feelings and needs identified in these studies require nurse educators and the healthcare organizations to ensure that novice nurses are prepared and given the tools to successfully transition to professional nursing practice.