Aim: The aim of this study was to describe newly graduated nurses´(NGNs´) experience of work-integrated learning (WIL), from an educational and occupational perspective.

Background: NGNs often find themselves unprepared to meet occupational demands on their competence on entering working life, and express difficulties integrating educational theory into a practical context. Qualitative and effective WIL becomes particularly important for NGNs to develop the competence required to handle the transition from education to working life.

Design: This is a qualitative, descriptive study with an inductive approach.

Methods: Seven focus-group discussions were performed and subjected to qualitative content analysis.

Results: The results revealed that WIL for NGNs includes personal mastering of several professional roles: a self-directed and collaborative learning role, a relational nursing role, and a transition from a student role to a collegial role. Furthermore, WIL entails adapting to organisational requirements, including development of contextual workplace knowledge and understanding; striving for confidence in medical-technical performance; and developing an experience-based understanding of clinical situations.

Conclusion: The results reveal that WIL is complex, encompassing adaptation to roles and personal capabilities that increase new graduates´competence and preparation for work. In addition, WIL requires personal commitment to one’s own learning as well as organisational and social support. 

The ability to understand, interact and create a caring relationship with the patient is a core component in nursing. A shift in nursing education from traditional classroom teaching towards more experiential approaches should be encouraged as this will support learning that links theory with practice. The aim of this study was to describe nursing students' experiences of learning about nursing through drama. This qualitative study was conducted at a university in Sweden. Four focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 16 nursing students and the data was analyzed using a phenomenographic approach.Three themes with their attendant categories emerged through the analysis: "To explore the future professional self", "To develop an understanding of the patient perspective", and "To reflect on the nature of learning". In conclusion this study shows that the use of drama in nursing education can provide opportunities to explore interactions with others which can increase students' self-awareness and ability to reflect on their future professional identity. Acting in role as a patient can provide an opportunity to experience the patient perspective. Also clear was the importance of commitment and engagement ofthe students as a prerequisite for optimizing this form of learning experience through drama

It can be challenging for nursing students to navigate between theory and practice and to implement theoretical knowledge in real work situations and vice-versa.Work-integrated learning can support the students by enabling them to combine theoretical studies with practical work experience during their clinical placement.The aim of this integrative literature review was to identify models for the integration of theory and practice during clinical placements in nursing education by usingwork-integrated learning. Sixteen articles were found and analyzed using an integrative review method. Three themes were identified: 1) Supervisor support toenable students to develop a professional identity 2) Variety of modalities for teaching and 3) Collaboration between academic lecturers and clinical supervisorsaimed at integrating theoretical and practical knowledge. Work-integrated learning enables students to integrate theory and practice, develop skills for knowledge-inpractice and prepares them for working life. It also supports the sharing of experiences between various healthcare professionals. This review identified a need forfurther research on work-integrated learning as a method for enhancing nursing students’ workplace learning.

Aim: To explore how nurses during their early working life learn to provide high-quality care in relation to organisational prerequisites in a hospital setting.BackgroundWhen nurses enter employment in contemporary hospital settings, they face multiple learning challenges. Organisational prerequisites that have been identified to affect their ability to learn to provide high-quality care are related to staffing turnovers, large patient groups and a lack of experienced staff to support their learning.

Design: Qualitative.

Methods: The study was conducted between 2018 and 2019 at a medium-sized hospital in Sweden. Data from interviews with 10 nurses with fewer than two years’ work experience were subjected to qualitative content analysis.

Results: The results describe the nurses’ learning during their early working life in two categories: Performing tasks in relation to organisational prerequisites and Making use of clinical experiences to grasp the complexity of nursing care. The first theme reflected a learning process that was initially characterised by seeking confirmation and instructions from colleagues of how to act safely and by balancing the demands of time efficiency and sustaining patient safety. The second theme reflected that, after addressing organisational prerequisites, the nurses tried to understand and make use of clinical experiences to grasp the complexity of nursing care by encountering and processing clinical patient situations.

Conclusions: The results of this study revealed that nurses’ learning during early working life seemed to be primarily directed towards handling tasks, with sometimes limited opportunities to grasp the complexity of nursing care. Their learning depended largely on their own initiative and motivation and was strongly influenced by organisational prerequisites. The limited availability of experienced nurse colleagues and lack of time devoted for reflection needs to be dealt with to support nurses’ learning.

Successful preparation of newly graduated nurses (NGN) is a critical concern for the healthcare sector. This study explores the learning processes enacted in a transition program with NGNs implemented in hospitals in western Sweden. Group interviews with NGNs and ward managers were conducted, with the data analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. The following themes were identified as the learning processes secured through the program: Recognizing the NGNs' role as novice practitioners, Emphasizing newly graduated nurses as learners, and Progressing towards a comprehensive nursing role. To support these learning processes, the program should provide opportunies to consolidate and reconcile NGNs' experiences as novices in healthcare environments where effective performance is crucial. If NGNs are supported in these ways, the program can make salient contributions to develop the knowledge bases of their occupational expertise. 

The case based learning (CBL) is a problem-based learning which engaging students and presenting them with learning-related and cognitive challenges. The purpose of the study was to elucidate nursing students experiences of the CBL as an educational tool in order to find out if it supports their learning. Qualitative content analysis was used and performed on the statements from nursing students’ course evaluations. Students perceived the CBL as an approach combining theory with practice which provides an overview of upcoming profession. Students gain adequate knowledge about patient care in reality and thereby enabling them to obtain a holistic understanding of patients health problems. Reflections related to case seminars widen students perspectives, improve their capacity for cooperation and help them to achieve long-lasting knowledge. This learning method offers nursing students an opportunity to enhance their judgment and critical thinking skills by applying theory in practice. Students gain adequate knowledge about patient care which may benefit patient care due to students acting professionally in their future role.

The study aims to investigate new graduate nurses the perceptions of educational preparedness, their challenges, and their expectations during their transition to hospital care and introduction to work.

Background: Previous research has raised questions about new graduate nurses’ (NGNs) preparedness for work in the clinical setting, and transition programs have been implemented to smooth the transition process. Information about NGNs’ expectations of both transition programs and their introduction to work when first entering the nursing profession is scarce.

Design: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Method: NGNs enrolled in a regional transition program in six hospitals were recruited from three-cohorts during September 2021, January 2022 and September 2022. After responding to a survey both a qualitative and quantitative approach was used when analyzing responses.

Results: Quantitative and qualitative findings derived from 248 NGNs responses showed that 65% of the NGNs perceived that nursing education in general prepared them for clinical work, that they were prepared for and committed to workplace learning but require support from a well-designed transition program as well as from colleagues and managers in their ward unit.

The conclusion is that the preparation provided by nursing education as well as organizational factors in the healthcare workplace influence new graduate nurses’ readiness for clinical work, the challenges they perceive, and their needs for learning and supp

Aim

This study aimed to explore how new graduated nurses experience a one-day simulation based education, contributing to providing care in acute situations two months after completion.

Background

Simulation-based education is often offered to new graduated nurses as part of important workplace learning. Simulation-based education is a valid learning and teaching strategy and is suggested as a measure to improve nurses’ ability in acute situations. However, studies are often conducted as pre-post evaluations immediately after completion of a simulation. Thus, knowledge of the clinical impact of simulation-based education on actual acute care situations could benefit both research and practice.

Design/method

During the winter of 2021–2022, 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with newly graduated nurses two months after they completed the simulation-based education and the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

The results are presented in three themes: a structured and shared strategy to handle acute situations, a developed role in acute situations and a more comprehensive understanding of acute situations. The results revealed that simulation-based education can contribute to the ability to care in acute situations in terms of action readiness and broad contextual understanding.

Conclusion

Simulation-based education can help develop the ability to care for patients in acute situations. However, differences in participant experiences must be acknowledged and processed in order for the implementation and outcome to be successful.

Aim:

To describe and illuminate conflict situations nursing students encounter during their clinical practice, narrated and performed through Forum Play.

Background:

Conflicts are common in healthcare settings and affect patient care and the wellbeing of nurses. To be able to manage complex practice situations, conflict management is an essential competence for nurses and should be highlighted during education. The aim of the study was to describe and illuminate conflict situations nursing students encounter during their clinical practice, narrated and performed through Forum Play.

Design:

The study was designed as a summative qualitative analysis of written group assignments related to nursing students participation in a drama workshop. Method: A summative qualitative content analysis of written group assignments related to nursing students participation in a drama workshop, focusing on conflict management. During the workshop the students explored conflict situations they had encountered during clinical practice, through Forum Play. After the workshop, the students handed in a mandatory written group assignment where they described one of the conflict situations. Results: The findings are presented in three categories; Parties; Arenas; Situations, one main theme;  Who knows best and two subthemes; Difficulties to adapt to the new and Difficulties reaching a mutual understanding.

Conclusion:

Conflict situations that nursing students encounter during their clinical practice often stem from the health care staff’s difficulties in adapting to the new and difficulty reaching a mutual understanding. Conflict management can be implemented as a powerful learning strategy in nursing education.