Supporting new graduate registered nurse transition for safety: A literature review update

Background: Reports suggest higher incidence of medical errors occur during times of transition for new practitioners, in part due to general staff disruption in the health services and inexperience of those entering the workplace. NGRNs experience a range of challenges on transition to professional practice and their transition experience will impact their ability to provide high quality patient care. Aim: The aim of this review was to critically appraise the contemporary literature concerning the transition of new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) and their patient safety knowledge and practices. Design: A scoping review of research literature. Methods: The review used key terms and Boolean operators to search literature from 2015 to September 2018. A search of CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus and Medline databases and a manual search of references conducted to identify any other literature not previously detected. Findings: This review acknowledges NGRNs have varied experiences during initial transition to practice. Transition programs are valuable for the structure and support provided during the first 12-months of practice. Ward culture influences safety practices while disparity between readiness and expectations remains. Discussion: Practical and emotional support necessary to help new nurses successfully navigate the turbulent early months of transition to clinical practice will ultimately enhance NGRNs' clinical safety. Conclusions: New graduate nurses require a supportive culture to translate knowledge and skills into safe practice and alleviate stressors. There remains little literature regarding patient safety knowledge and practices of new graduate registered nurses. (C) 2019 Australian College of Nursing Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd.