Role stress and role ambiguity in new nursing graduates in Australia

Abstract

The first few months of nursing have the potential to be the most challenging and stressful for new nursing graduates. The purpose of the present study was to examine sources of, and changes in, role stress 2-3 months after employment, and 11-12 months later in new graduate nurses. This study also investigated the relationship between job satisfaction and role stress. A factor analysis demonstrated that role ambiguity was the most salient feature of role stress in the first few months, while 10 months later, role overload was the most important factor explaining variance in role stress scores. There was no significant change in role stress scores over time. For the first survey, job satisfaction was significantly negatively correlated with role ambiguity and role stress. In the second survey there was still a significant negative correlation between role ambiguity and job satisfaction, but no significant correlation between role overload and job satisfaction. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for nursing education, practice and future research.

A study of stress and burnout in nursing students in Hong Kong: A questionnaire survey

“…In addition to the daily stresses of nursing, nurses are required to undertake continuing professional development (Hogston, 1995) and part-time education (Timmins & Nicholl, 2005). High levels of stress seem to afflict newly qualified nurses and this is associated with entering the clinical setting for the first time whereby they seem to experience lack of confidence through exposure to unfamiliar circumstances (Chang et al, 2005;Chang & Hancock, 2003).…”

Prince Edward Island: Building Capacity – The Implementation of a Critical Care/Emergency Program

“…Among new nurses job satisfaction was positively related to a sense of belonging (Winter-Collins & McDaniel, 2000), and it was negatively related to conflict (Gardner, 1992), role ambiguity and role stress (Chang & Hancock, 2003). Additionally, achievement, advancement, the work itself, working conditions, status, supervision and security loaded onto the same factor as job satisfaction suggesting these were related to satisfaction (Munro, 1983).…”

“…These found that newly graduated nurses have moderate amounts of stress (Chang & Hancock, 2003;Oermann & Garvin;Oermann & Moffitt-Wolf). Their comfort and confidence appeared to follow a quadratic pattern over time: while initially they felt comfortable and confident in their role this decreased approaching their first year of employment until it reversed and rose to its highest peak after one year of practice (Casey et al, 2004).…”

“…The surprise and recognition that the work environment differed from school was often documented (Boychuk Duchscher, 2001;Charnley, 1999;Delaney, 2003;Horsburgh, 1989;Jasper, 1996;Kelly, 1996;Ross & Clifford, 2002). Uncertainty regarding the expectations of the new role can lead to role ambiguity which has been found to be a stressor for newly graduated nurses early in their employment experiences (Chang & Hancock, 2003).…”

Graduate registered nurse practice readiness in the Australian context: An issue worthy of discussion

“…Conversely, Levett-Jones and FitzGerald (2005, p. 40) question the effectiveness of formal transition programmes and whether more emphasis should be placed on developing 'educationally supportive clinical cultures in practice settings'. Measures to boost GRNs' confidence and support their transition from the role of student nurse to RN are thought to enhance their job satisfaction and therefore reduce attrition rates (Aiken, Clarke & Sloane, 2000;Chang & Hancock, 2003;Cowin & Jacobsson, 2003a, 2003bGavlak, 2007). Cowin and Jacobsson (2003b) caution against blaming new graduates' high attrition on the education system for their purported lack of work-ready preparation, and suggest that retention strategies should focus mainly on workplace reforms.…”