Transition to practice experiences of first- and second-career nurses: A mixed-methods study

Abstract

To explore the transition to nursing practice experiences of first- and second-career nursing students. To address the nursing shortage, alternative educational programmes have been increasingly developed and implemented with to help individuals with prior career experiences transition into a career in nursing (second-career nurses). However, we know little about the transition to practice experiences of second-career nurses. This mixed-methods study utilised qualitative interviews with nurses who had completed a year of practice and a longitudinal survey of nurses' perceptions of stress, coping and burnout throughout their first year of nursing practice. Qualitative data (n = 15) were analysed using latent thematic analysis and following COREQ guidelines. Descriptive and effect size analysis of quantitative data (n = 122) was conducted in order to assess for significant differences across time points.