The status and associated factors of junior nurses' transition shock: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: To analyse junior nurses^' transition shock status and its associated factors.

Background: When nurses experience transition shock, turnover intentions followed by turnover behaviour are likely, which is unfavourable for the stable development of nursing teams.

Methods: Using convenience sampling, 1,148 Chinese junior nurses were recruited. Those recruited completed a demographic questionnaire and the head nurses' humanistic care behaviour for nurses, feedback-seeking behaviour and transition shock of nurses scales. Data and associated factors of transition shock were analysed using SPSS and univariate and multivariate analyses, respectively.

Results: Head nurses' humanistic care behaviour and nurses^' feedback-seeking behaviour were significantly and negatively correlated with junior nurses' transition shock (mean score: 2.87 ± 0.85). Income satisfaction, head nurses' humanistic care behaviour, night shift frequency and educational background entered the regression equation.

Conclusions: Transition shock exists not only in new nurses but also in junior nurses with ≤5-year service. Those dissatisfied with their income have frequent night shifts, and higher education backgrounds have higher levels of transition shock.

Implications for nursing management: Head nurses need to reduce transition shock of nurses with ≤5-year service by integrating humanistic care into nursing management and creating a friendly environment to stimulate feedback-seeking behaviour.

Keywords: feedback seeking; humanistic care; nurses; transition shock.