Work Readiness of Newly Graduated Nurses with Implications for Academia and Employers

Abstract

Background: The transition and retention of newly graduated nurses are worldwide problems. With the nursing shortage and 33-61% of newly graduated nurses leaving their job within the first year, newly graduated nurses need to be work ready. Work readiness of new nurses is a new concept developed in Australia. Significance: New nurses are a vulnerable population that is dependent upon experienced nurses for knowledge, skills, and socialization into the profession. However, new nurses often experience rudeness, humiliation and conflict influencing professional success, patient care, and retention. Purpose: To apply the Work Readiness Scale – Graduate Nurses (WRS-GN) to a population of Baccalaureate (BSN) and Master’s Entry into the Profession of Nursing (MEPN) graduates from a southwestern university and determine if there is a relationship between the variables of work readiness, individual experiences of graduates, and the two groups. Research questions included: 1) What is the relationship between work readiness (social intelligence, personal work characteristics, work competence, and organizational acumen) and individual experiences? 2) Do newly graduated BSN and MEPN degree nurses differ on the WRS-GN constructs of social intelligence, personal work characteristics, work competence, and organizational acumen? Method: Descriptive correlational study with a convenience sample of graduates from a southwestern university. Participants received a survey through their school email account and a message was placed on the Alumni Facebook page. Results: Thirty participants (9.2% response rate), 93.3% were female, and 76.7% work in Arizona. None of the participants were planning to leave the profession of nursing in the next year. A statistically significant relationship was detected between work competency and length of nurse residency (r=.44, p=0.02) and a negative relationship was detected between personal work characteristics and nurse residency (r=-.41, p=0.02). No relationship was detected between the two groups and constructs of work readiness. Implications/conclusions: Work readiness is complex. Longer nurse residency is associated with greater work competence. Academia and employers should collaborate and provide courses that enhance the work readiness of newly graduated nurses. The WRS-GN has been tested once in a population of Australian graduate nurses therefore further research is needed to validate the WRS-GN.