Exploring How New Registered Nurses Construct Professional Identity in Hospital Settings

Purpose: To describe and explore the experiences that contribute to the construction of professional identity in hospital nurses 1 to 3 years postgraduation from nursing school. Methodology: This qualitative study used in-depth interviewing and open-ended questions with a semistructured format. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Twenty-one interviews were conducted with 16 participants. The researcher analyzed the data through the lens of symbolic interactionism. Results: The study identified various passage points as nurses progressed in establishing their professional identity in the first 3 years after graduation. These points required adaptation to stress to accomplish successful negotiation and included finding a niche, orientation, the conflict of caring, taking the licensure examination, becoming a charge nurse, and moving on. A sense of responsibility and the need for continual learning and perfection were inherent in all passage points. Conclusion: The significance of this study rests in situational influences on the construction of identity, the need for balance and support in the practice environment, passage points in the first 3 years of practice, and the organizational need to support nursing empowerment and voice. Contin Educ Nurs 2008;39(6):255-262.