Other Titles
Gaps Identified by Newly Graduated Nurses in Their Transition to Practice: The Profession of Nursing Must Respond [Title Slide]
Abstract
Purpose Statement: It is essential that the profession of nursing reflect upon and respond to the gaps identified by the newly graduated nurse in their transition from academia into professional practice.
Background: The world is experiencing a nursing workforce shortage that is only expected to increase through 2030 (World Health Organization, 2024). Simultaneously, across the globe newly graduated nurses continue to struggle in their transition from academia into professional practice; and while the gaps they experience are widely acknowledged, they are not well defined or understood (Sabei, et al., 2024; Zipf, 2025).
Study Design, Methods and Outcomes: A convergent mixed-methods study, in the format of an anonymous survey, of newly graduated Registered Nurses working in medical-surgical hospital-based settings was conducted utilizing the framework of the Transitions Theory. Quantitative data was collected through the Casey Fink Graduate Nurse Experience (CFGNE) Survey, and in response to a qualitative question the participants (n=128) identified gaps in information, knowledge, and tools that they wish they had been told/given before entering professional practice (Casey, Chia-Lin, & Fink, 2021).
Conclusions and Implications: As global nurse leaders we must respect the voice of our new nurses and thoughtfully reflect on the current academic preparation that they receive. These nurses represent both the present and future of our profession; we must respond and ensure that the academic preparation they receive prepares them for the current healthcare dynamic and needs of our global populations.
Notes
References:
Casey, K., Chia-Lin, T., & Fink, R. (2021). A psychometric evaluation of the Casey-Fink graduate nurse experience survey. JONA, 51(5), 242-248.
Gellner, P., DeLibero, J., Griffin, A. (2023). Evaluating the health of the work environment and the perception of new nurses during the transition to practice in critical care. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 42(6), 349-357. DOI: 10.1097/DCC.0000000000000607
Meleis, A. (2015). Transitions Theory. In Smith, M.; Parker, M., Nursing Theories and Nursing Practice (4th Ed). FA Davis Co.
Sabei, S., Al-Rawajfah, O., Al-Bashayreh, A., Yahyaei, A., Al-Maqbali, M., & Lopes, M. (2024). The first two years of experience: A mixed-methods study exploring the work environment and transition to practice of graduate nurses. Nursing Forum, 2024. doi.org/10.1155/2024/2445645
World Health Organization. (2024). Nursing and Midwifery. Retrieved November 1, 2024 from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/nursing-and-midwifery
Zipf, A. (2025). The new graduate speaks – again – over 50 years later [Manuscript submitted for publication and accepted]. The American Journal of Nursing.
Sigma Membership
Mu
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
New Graduate Nurses, Transition to Practice, Onboarding, Global Leadership, Teaching and Learning Strategies
Recommended Citation
Zipf, Amy Lynn, "Gaps Identified by Nurses in Their Transition to Practice: The Profession of Nursing Must Respond" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 23.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/23
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
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
2025-11-18
Gaps Identified by Nurses in Their Transition to Practice: The Profession of Nursing Must Respond
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Purpose Statement: It is essential that the profession of nursing reflect upon and respond to the gaps identified by the newly graduated nurse in their transition from academia into professional practice.
Background: The world is experiencing a nursing workforce shortage that is only expected to increase through 2030 (World Health Organization, 2024). Simultaneously, across the globe newly graduated nurses continue to struggle in their transition from academia into professional practice; and while the gaps they experience are widely acknowledged, they are not well defined or understood (Sabei, et al., 2024; Zipf, 2025).
Study Design, Methods and Outcomes: A convergent mixed-methods study, in the format of an anonymous survey, of newly graduated Registered Nurses working in medical-surgical hospital-based settings was conducted utilizing the framework of the Transitions Theory. Quantitative data was collected through the Casey Fink Graduate Nurse Experience (CFGNE) Survey, and in response to a qualitative question the participants (n=128) identified gaps in information, knowledge, and tools that they wish they had been told/given before entering professional practice (Casey, Chia-Lin, & Fink, 2021).
Conclusions and Implications: As global nurse leaders we must respect the voice of our new nurses and thoughtfully reflect on the current academic preparation that they receive. These nurses represent both the present and future of our profession; we must respond and ensure that the academic preparation they receive prepares them for the current healthcare dynamic and needs of our global populations.
Description
Newly graduated nurses identified gaps in their transition from academia into professional practice. As global nurse leaders we must respect the voice of our new nurses and thoughtfully reflect on the current academic preparation that they receive. These nurses represent the present and future of our profession; we must now respond and ensure that the academic preparation they receive prepares them for the current healthcare dynamic and needs of our global populations.