Other Titles
Enhancing Nursing Relationships and Work Environments as Experienced Nurses Transition to New Clinical Specialities [Title Slide]
Abstract
Nurses interact with a variety of healthcare professionals, including fellow nurses with different levels of authority and/or experience, as part of their day-to-day practice. As they interact with their nursing peers, nurses develop connections with unique aspects, benefits, and challenges, and these relationships can have healthy and unhealthy elements and relations can change over time. Notably, healthy nurse-to-nurse relationships build teams, increase collaboration, and strengthen effective communications (Institute for Safe Medication Practices, 2021) and thus professional relationships heavily influence the work environment. Unfortunately, violations of healthy relationships and work environments are common and these issues threaten adverse outcomes such as patient safety concerns like medical errors that can lead to short-term harm, long-term harm, or patient death and emotional nursing distress that may lead to feelings of isolation, stress, burnout which could impact cognition, clinical judgement, and performance. Also, physical symptoms such as low energy, headaches, frequent illness, and chest pain can lead to absenteeism, lost productivity, and turnover, which may increase organizational costs (American Nurses Association, 2023; Jones et al., 2019; Nouri et al., 2019). Supervising uncivil behaviors is another noteworthy source of cost to organizations as nurses may spend time documenting inappropriate behaviors and coaching problematic staff members.
Although nursing connections and issues occur every day, relationships are particularly strained during periods of transition (Crawford et al., 2019; McGuire, 2020; Newman, 2019). Transitions increase stress during already difficult times, which can negatively impact nurse-to-nurse relationships. Transitioning nurses may include newly licensed professionals or experienced nurses moving to new clinical specialties. Despite this universality, there is a lack of literature surrounding experienced nurses transitioning to permanent positions or travel nurses practicing via temporary assignments in areas of need. Some authors have discussed the distinct challenges experienced nurses face as well as offered specific supports for this population (for example, Chicca, 2021 and Jeffery et al., 2018). However, overall there is a dearth of knowledge in this area and the needs of this population are often overlooked. This is concerning given the increasing prevalence of experienced nursing transitions (Guttormson et al., 2022) and their impact on healthcare outcomes. Without proper supports, unhealthy nursing relationships and detrimental work environments negatively impact patient, nurse, and organizational outcomes.
This presentation specifically focuses on distinct challenges experienced nurses face as they transition to new clinical specialties. These challenges include confronting complex emotions, facing learning gaps, struggling with unlearning, sensing threats to their identities, and working to adapt to their new colleagues and surroundings. These issues will be explored including their impact on nurse-to-nurse relationships and subsequently the work environment. Next, the presentation will offer evidence-based strategies to combat these challenges and ways to nurture nurse-to-nurse relationships as experienced nurses move to new clinical specialties. Strategies will be presented using the categories a) assess and acknowledge, b) make individualized plans, and c) promote positive spaces. Nurses at all levels, including staff nurses, formal leaders, and informal leaders, can use these strategies to enhance nurse-to-nurse relationships and work environments, positively impacting patient, nurse, and organizational outcomes.
Notes
References: American Nurses Association. (2023). Incivility, bullying, and workplace violence. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/official-position-statements/id/incivility-bullying-and-workplace-violence/
Chicca, J. (2021). Weathering the storm of uncertainty: Transitioning clinical specialties as an experienced nurse. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 52(10), 471-481. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20210913-07
Crawford, C. L., Chu, F., Judson, L. H., Cuenca, E., Jadalla, A. A., Tze-Polo, L., Kawar, L. N., Runnels, C., & Garvida, R. (2019). An integrative review of nurse-to-nurse incivility, hostility, and workplace violence: A GPS for nurse leaders. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 43(2), 138-156. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000338
Guttormson, J. L., Calkins, K., McAndrew, N., Fitzgerald, J., Losurdo, H., & Loonsfoot, D. (2022). Critical care nurses’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: A US national survey. American Journal of Critical Care, 31(2), 96-103. https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2022312
Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2021). Disrespectful behavior in healthcare: Has it improved? https://www.ismp.org/resources/disrespectful-behavior-healthcare-has-it-improved-please-take-our-survey
Jeffery, A. D., Jarvis, R. L., & Word-Allen, A. J. (2018). Staff educator’s guide to clinical orientation: Onboarding solutions for nurses (2nd ed.). Sigma Theta Tau International.
Jones, L., Cline, G. J., Battick, K., Burger, K. J., & Amankwah, E. K. (2019). Communication under pressure: A quasi-experimental study to assess the impact of a structured curriculum on skilled communication to promote a healthy work environment. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 35(5), 248-254. https://doi.org/10.1097/NND.0000000000000573
McGuire, T. (2020). Experienced nurses transition to practice. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 36(6), 355-358. https://doi.org/10.1097/NND.0000000000000671
Newman, M. B. (2019). Unlearning: Enabling professional success in an ever-changing environment. Professional Case Management, 24(5), 262-264. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCM.0000000000000382
Nouri, A., Sanagoo, A., Jouybari, L., & Taleghani, F. (2019). Challenges of respect as promoting healthy work environment in nursing: A qualitative study. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 8, 261. https://10.4103/jehp.jehp_125_19
Sigma Membership
Pi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Interpersonal Relations, Peer Group, Psychosocial Support, Work Environment, Nurses -- Psychosocial Factors, Occupational Stress, Organizational Culture, Clinical Nurse Specialists
Recommended Citation
Chicca, Jennifer K. and Hubbard, Hope C., "Enhancing Nurse-to-Nurse Relationships and Work Environments as Experienced Nurses Transition to New Clinical Specialties" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 112.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/112
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-02-26
Enhancing Nurse-to-Nurse Relationships and Work Environments as Experienced Nurses Transition to New Clinical Specialties
Washington, DC, USA
Nurses interact with a variety of healthcare professionals, including fellow nurses with different levels of authority and/or experience, as part of their day-to-day practice. As they interact with their nursing peers, nurses develop connections with unique aspects, benefits, and challenges, and these relationships can have healthy and unhealthy elements and relations can change over time. Notably, healthy nurse-to-nurse relationships build teams, increase collaboration, and strengthen effective communications (Institute for Safe Medication Practices, 2021) and thus professional relationships heavily influence the work environment. Unfortunately, violations of healthy relationships and work environments are common and these issues threaten adverse outcomes such as patient safety concerns like medical errors that can lead to short-term harm, long-term harm, or patient death and emotional nursing distress that may lead to feelings of isolation, stress, burnout which could impact cognition, clinical judgement, and performance. Also, physical symptoms such as low energy, headaches, frequent illness, and chest pain can lead to absenteeism, lost productivity, and turnover, which may increase organizational costs (American Nurses Association, 2023; Jones et al., 2019; Nouri et al., 2019). Supervising uncivil behaviors is another noteworthy source of cost to organizations as nurses may spend time documenting inappropriate behaviors and coaching problematic staff members.
Although nursing connections and issues occur every day, relationships are particularly strained during periods of transition (Crawford et al., 2019; McGuire, 2020; Newman, 2019). Transitions increase stress during already difficult times, which can negatively impact nurse-to-nurse relationships. Transitioning nurses may include newly licensed professionals or experienced nurses moving to new clinical specialties. Despite this universality, there is a lack of literature surrounding experienced nurses transitioning to permanent positions or travel nurses practicing via temporary assignments in areas of need. Some authors have discussed the distinct challenges experienced nurses face as well as offered specific supports for this population (for example, Chicca, 2021 and Jeffery et al., 2018). However, overall there is a dearth of knowledge in this area and the needs of this population are often overlooked. This is concerning given the increasing prevalence of experienced nursing transitions (Guttormson et al., 2022) and their impact on healthcare outcomes. Without proper supports, unhealthy nursing relationships and detrimental work environments negatively impact patient, nurse, and organizational outcomes.
This presentation specifically focuses on distinct challenges experienced nurses face as they transition to new clinical specialties. These challenges include confronting complex emotions, facing learning gaps, struggling with unlearning, sensing threats to their identities, and working to adapt to their new colleagues and surroundings. These issues will be explored including their impact on nurse-to-nurse relationships and subsequently the work environment. Next, the presentation will offer evidence-based strategies to combat these challenges and ways to nurture nurse-to-nurse relationships as experienced nurses move to new clinical specialties. Strategies will be presented using the categories a) assess and acknowledge, b) make individualized plans, and c) promote positive spaces. Nurses at all levels, including staff nurses, formal leaders, and informal leaders, can use these strategies to enhance nurse-to-nurse relationships and work environments, positively impacting patient, nurse, and organizational outcomes.
Description
This presentation will discuss challenges faced by experienced nurses as they transition to new clinical specialties and offer evidence-based strategies to nurture nurse-to-nurse relationships. Purposeful efforts to support experienced nurses enhances nurse-to-nurse relationships, work environments, and healthcare outcomes.