Coming ready or not! An integrative review examining new graduate nurses' transition in acute care

Aims To synthesize the scientific evidence about new graduate nurses' transition to practice in the acute care setting and consider implications for nurses and nursing practice. Background Despite the vast amount of literature on new graduate nurses' transition to practice, the transition of new graduate nurses is a global issue and remains at the forefront of discussions within the nursing community. Design An integrative review. Review Methods A search of evidence-based research from seven electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, ProQuest, Cochrane, JBI, Wiley, and Scopus) was conducted for the period of 2006-2016. Eligible articles were critically reviewed and scored using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results Twenty-six articles were reviewed, which included 19 qualitative, five quantitative, and two mixed methods studies. The Experiences are described in three themes: Dominated by fear but feeling a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction; Reality vs Idealism; and Adjusting to nursing life. The Factors are described under three themes: Personal, Professional, and Organizational. Conclusion The transition experience of new graduate nurses is complex and multidimensional and highlights that it takes a village to grow and support new graduate nurses.