Personal narratives of newly qualified nurses in a public hospital in Gauteng province

• Main Author: Mqokozo, Nontutuzelo Joyce
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Nurses > South Africa > Personal Narratives
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net10539/14367

The purpose of this study was to explore the work-related experiences of the newly qualified nurses and their views about their own performance adequacy, in clinical area in a Public Hospital in Gauteng Province during their first year of clinical professional practice. The objectives of this study were to explore the work-related experiences of the NQNs and their views about their own performance adequacy in clinical practice during their first year of clinical professional practice, and to describe the work-related experiences of the NQNs and their performance adequacy in the clinical area during their first year of clinical professional practice. An exploratory, descriptive and interpretative qualitative research was selected using a narrative approach to data collection. Benner‟s model of novice to expert guided the research. The research was conducted with thirteen newly qualified professional nurses. NQNs, who trained in the nursing college that is associated with the selected hospital, and who were in their first year as professional nurses, were consciously and purposefully selected using the snowballing method. Ethical considerations were maintained throughout the study. In line with the story theme, Owen (1984)‟s model of data analysis was used. Five major themes and five sub-themes emerged from the data. Two levels of analysis were used in developing meaning from the narratives. The results revealed that transitioning from student nurse to becoming a newly qualified nurse is challenging, shocking and humiliating.