Examining The Perception of The Transition Period of The Professional Roles of The Newly Graduated Nurses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate how the newly graduated nurses evaluate the orientation programs, their perceptions of transition period of their Professional roles and the factors determining of this period. Newly graduated nurses (n=105) have been taken into the sampling of this study in an university hospital who has been working at least six months, at most two years and accepted to participate in this survey. The data has been collected with a questionnaire that included the characteristics of the newly graduates, their perceptions of the transition period, their experiences and their intention to leave the current position. The chi-square and the correlation analysis have been used in the evaluation of the data. The study showed that %66,7 of the newly graduates have received orientation training, and the %93,3 has worked with a preceptor nurse. While the nurses whose expectations fulfilled with the orientation training is %8,6, this rate is %64,3 for the nurses who worked with a preceptor nurse. It has been found that the newly graduates had experienced positive feelings like excitement and willingness and the negative ones like the anxiety and discontent. The work load excess, not having enough time for the patients and feeling of insufficiency have been determined as the factors that create stress. The rate of intent to leave the current job is %65,7. The average points of the perception period of the newly graduated nurses (4,45±15) has shown there has been experienced a medium level difficulty. The transition period has been perceived more negative for the ones who have had a longer period of working time with a preceptor. There has been found a meaningful relationship between the school¡¦s preparation of the graduation and the perception of the transition period (r=0.60, p<0.01). It has been considered the results shown that the orientation program requires improvement from the points of duration, content and support; it would be able to reduce the intent to leave of the job by facilitating the transition period; the perception of the transition periods are more positive for the ones who have enough professional socialization in their schools, would be guiding for the preparation of effective transition programs.