The lived experiences of newly qualified children's nurses

Aim: This paper reports a study that explored the lived experiences of newly qualified registered children's nurses (RCN) in their transition from postgraduate student nurse to staff nurse. Research question: What are the experiences of newly qualified RCNs in their transition from postgraduate student nurse to staff nurse? Methods: A qualitative phenomenological approach was chosen for the study and six newly qualified RCNs were interviewed. Data analysis was based on the work of Coliazzi (1978) who devised a seven-step approach to assist the analysis within phenomenological inquiry. Results: Findings indicate that support is the most important aspect of the transition experience for these nurses. Mentorship and preceptorship programmes facilitate support during the transition period and previous experience prescribes the amount of support required by the newly qualified RCN. Conclusion: In highlighting the experiences of newly qualified RCNs in their transition from postgraduate student nurse to staff nurse, this study raises awareness among children's nurses, children's nurse educators and children's nursing managers about this unique group of nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of British Journal of Nursing is the property of MA Healthcare Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)