This is a summary of See et al. Newly registered nurses experience high levels of emotional exhaustion, stress and burnout, with high attrition rates in the first-year post-qualification. The purpose of this review was to consolidate the available evidence on the experiences of newly registered nurses transitioning from the role of student nurse to that of registered nurse.
Thirty-one studies were included in the review, comprising thirty qualitative and one mixed-method study. A total of 452 newly registered nurses were enrolled across the studies from Australia, Canada, Singapore, England, Nepal, Netherlands, Pakistan and Taiwan. Four themes were identified: knowledge deficit, overwhelming clinical practice, importance of workplace support and the meaning of ‘being a nurse’. Twenty-four studies discussed how newly graduated registered nurses experienced anxiety,...