Transition shock - is your graduate nurse at risk?

The term ‘Transition Shock’ is a relatively new concept identified by Dr Judy Duchscher, whose research into this phenomenon spans over 10 years. The term is used to describe the experience of moving from the comfortable and familiar role of the pre-registration nursing student to that of the professional Registered Nurse (RN). The concept is based on Kramer’s theory of ‘reality shock’, where the professional aspects of transition from student to graduate RN are identified in stages. Duchscher’s theory further extrapolates on the physical, emotional, intellectual and socio-developmental features the new nurse may experience.
The purpose of this presentation is to examine transition shock in the perioperative environment. The possible signs and symptoms of transition shock exhibited by a newly registered perioperative graduate nurse will be explained, and potential solutions will be discussed. Logistical issues effecting education and support in the Operating Theatre will also be highlighted, and opportunities for future search will be proposed.
It is hoped that by sharing the existence of this phenomena and creating a greater professional awareness, perioperative nurses will have an improved ability to recognise the issue amongst their cohort of graduate nurses. Recognition may result in the required improvement in support to ensure a smooth path to successful transition of the perioperative graduate, and in the long term, improve workforce retention.