Using role theory concepts to understand transitions from hospital-based nursing practice to home care nursing.
BACKGROUND
The phenomena experienced by professional nurses who make practice-based career changes are seldom addressed in the literature. Nurses changing from a hospital-based practice to a home health care setting report feelings of anxiety, incompetency, and lack of the necessary skills to care for clients in the home.


METHODS
An integrative review of the literature on role theory can provide the conceptual understanding of the transitional experience of nurses whose roles change when they move from hospital-based practice to a home health care setting.


RESULTS
A model of the role transition process is helpful in identifying the transition experienced by nurses new to the home health care setting. Experiences during the initial transition period are critical in shaping the nurse's understanding of the role.


CONCLUSIONS
Educators can play a key part in assisting novice home health care nurses with role enactment by developing comprehensive orientation and education programs aimed at minimizing role strain.
Murray
T A
TA
University of Missouri-St. Louis, College of Nursing 63121, USA.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology*; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011582:Psychological Theory