The Professional Nurse

Assessment Three – Essay

Type: Essay

Learning Outcomes Assessed
Critique conflict and change management strategies within organisational cultures and the impact this may have on nursing and members of the multidisciplinary team.
Consider the transitional challenges and coping strategies required by the graduate registered nurse entering the workforce.

Aim
The aim of this assessment is to arm students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to successfully transition to a graduate registered nurse. Despite the years applied to completing their degree and gaining registration, newly graduated registered nurses often have feelings of being unprepared for their new role. These feelings can range from somewhat uncomfortable to highly shocking and can have a significant impact on staff retention in the workplace. The following case study shows the reaction of one graduate, Susan, when she begins her new job in a busy medical ward.

Journal Entry 22nd March 2021: Today was another bad day. Every day it is getting harder and harder to enjoy the work I am doing. I feel like a failure because I am not keeping up the same way the other grads are.
When we all started, we were all so excited and happy, we were catching up and laughing a lot. Now, it seems like they are still moving forward while I am stuck. The nurses I work with have really high expectations of me and just feel like nothing I do is good enough.
I am starting to realise that the ward has a very toxic culture with popular cliques and groups. Some nurses don’t seem to adhere to the proper policies and don’t seem to be held to account for poor practice and behaviour. I feel nervous on shift like they are watching my every move. I feel so overwhelmed and like nursing is not for me. I have a lot to think about.

Instructions
This assessment should be written in essay format with a clear introduction, body and conclusion. The body should be made up of three main parts:
Examine the transitional challenges that Susan is experiencing on entering the workforce and use current literature to explore the concept of reality shock.
Identify positive coping strategies that Susan could use to address the issues she is experiencing- Consider resilience and resiliency development strategies in the workplace in your response.
What can the workplace do to embed positive organisational culture and to ensure the safe transition of graduate staff?