title: Starting Out: qualitative perspectives of new graduate nurses and nurse leaders on transition to practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe new graduate nurses' transition experiences in Canadian healthcare settings by exploring the perspectives of new graduate nurses and nurse leaders in unit level roles.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Supporting successful transition to practice is key to retaining new graduate nurses in the workforce and meeting future demand for healthcare services.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive qualitative study using inductive content analysis of focus group and interview data from 42 new graduate nurses and 28 nurse leaders from seven Canadian provinces.
  
  
  RESULTS
  New graduate nurses and nurse leaders identified similar factors that facilitate the transition to practice including formal orientation programmes, unit cultures that encourage constructive feedback and supportive mentors. Impediments including unanticipated changes to orientation length, inadequate staffing, uncivil unit cultures and heavy workloads.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that new graduate nurses need access to transition support and resources and that nurse leaders often face organisational constraints in being able to support new graduate nurses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Organisations should ensure that nurse leaders have the resources they need to support the positive transition of new graduate nurses including adequate staffing and realistic workloads for both experienced and new nurses. Nurse leaders should work to create unit cultures that foster learning by encouraging new graduate nurses to ask questions and seek feedback without fear of criticism or incivility.
authors.affiliation: Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Regan
authors.affiliation: Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Heather K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Laschinger
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, The University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Greta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leiter
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: MacPhee
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences and Community Services, Universite de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rhéaume
authors.affiliation: McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.affiliation: Clinical Professional Development, Fraser Health, Professional Practice and Integration, Surrey, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Angela C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.affiliation: Nursing Administration, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Lianne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jeffs
authors.affiliation: Patient Centered Care, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Young-Ritchie
authors.affiliation: Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grinspun
authors.affiliation: Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Eastern Shore and West Hants, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors.forename: Mary Ellen
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gurnham
authors.affiliation: Office of Nursing Policy, Health Policy Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: Planning, Integration, Evaluation and Community Engagement, North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network, Orillia, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sherri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huckstep
authors.affiliation: Providence Care, Kingston, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Maurio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruffolo
authors.affiliation: International Council of Nurses, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shamian
authors.affiliation: Humber River Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Burkoski
authors.affiliation: Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Read
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007857:Leadership; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000523:psychology*; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: new graduate nurses; nurse leaders; transition to practice