How New Nurses Experience Workplace Belonging: A Qualitative Study

A sense of belonging is a need for interpersonal connections; it is a crucial factor that decides whether new graduate nurses can adapt to group working life in a clinical setting. Thus, a detailed understanding of the experience of workplace belonging could assist new graduate nurses adjust to entering the workforce. This study employed the qualitative methodology of phenomenology to examine the meaning of the experiences of workplace belonging of 12 new graduate nurse participants. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews and observations during the interview sessions. After data were collected, they were transcribed verbatim for the purpose of data analysis. New graduate nurses experience related to workplace belonging can be explained using five themes were identified, namely adjust oneself to blend in, not being ignored, becoming an ally, achieving goals through concerted efforts, and sharing emotions and becoming family. New graduate nurses experience various types of stress when they first start working in a clinical setting, and this is an issue that warrants the attention and support from all health professionals. Nursing managers could apply the findings of the current study to guide their unit colleagues. Identifying methods that could enhance new graduate nurses' sense of workplace belonging and mutual recognition between employees and their work groups is beneficial for cultivating new graduate nurses' sense of workplace belonging and facilitating their career growth.

Automated summary

This study used phenomenology to explore the experiences of workplace belonging among 12 new graduate nurses. The findings revealed five themes related to workplace belonging: fitting in, not being ignored, becoming an ally, achieving goals through concerted efforts, and sharing emotions and becoming family. New graduate nurses face various types of stress when starting to work in a clinical setting, and they require the attention and support of all health professionals.