The professional journey of Saudi nurse graduates: A lived experience

Abstract

Objective: To illuminate the lived experience of Saudi Nurse graduates during their early years in the workplace as professional nurses encompassing their experiences from being nurse students, preparations to become registered nurses, their struggles from being a student to a professional nurse, their cultural competence towards colleagues and patients in their new workplace, their impression of Nursing as a profession and other challenges they faced in especially on language and communication with their patients and colleagues. Methods: An interpretive phenomenological inquiry was utilized to inquire and discover the lived experiences of Saudi Nurse graduates to their job as nurses in different hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 12 nurses were interviewed for this study in the course of 5 months. The interviews conducted with the 12 nurses were audiotaped recorded and subsequently transcribed in verbatim form and the Collaizi Method was used for the extraction of meanings from the interviews. Results: Five major themes were identified in the transcribed form of the interview and 11 subthemes emerged as well. The five major themes were educational preparation, transition into practice, cultural competence, image of nursing and language and communication. Conclusions: The study described the different challenges faced by Saudi nurse graduates from being students to professionals based from their experiences as newly employed staff nurses in different hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Their stories captured the story of novice nurses not only as a Saudi but may be true for other nationalities. These stories are shared by all nurses across the world who struggle to meet the demands of the nursing profession.

Using Duchscher's Theory of Transition Shock To Inform The Experience Of Newly Graduated Nurses In Qatar: A Qualitative Case Study

“… Alboliteeh, Magarey, and Wiechula (2018) reported language barriers as a stressor for Saudi NGNs with English as a second language. Poor language skills affected professional communication and provision of nursing care and negatively impacted on opportunities for learning and advancement.…”

“…A study of NGNs by Clark and Springer (2012) found that welcoming staff make NGNs feel like they matter, fit in and integrate with the team, consistent with the findings in Middle Eastern literature. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), NGNs described lack of acceptance, not being welcomed into the workplace, being ignored, and feelings of isolation ( Alboliteeh, Magarey and Wiechula, 2017 ). Omani NGNs reported expatriate nurses formed cliques resulting in poor collegial relationships, suggesting that ‘Omanisation’ generated a perceived threat to job security for expatriates creating tension and repudiation ( Al Awaisi, Cooke and Pryjmachuk, 2015 ).…”

“…Omani NGNs reported expatriate nurses formed cliques resulting in poor collegial relationships, suggesting that ‘Omanisation’ generated a perceived threat to job security for expatriates creating tension and repudiation ( Al Awaisi, Cooke and Pryjmachuk, 2015 ). Saudi NGNs felt poorly understood by expatriate managers and reported their cultural background and needs were not considered ( Alboliteeh, Magarey, and Wiechula, 2018 ).…”

“…Being part of a good team where NGNs experience civility and consistent, active support helps diminish feelings of fear and stress ( Halpin, Terry and Curzio, 2017 ). Alboliteeh, Magarey, and Wiechula, (2018) reported Saudi NGNs experienced harsh treatment from expatriate nurses and other colleagues, resulting in perceptions of unfair treatment and self-doubt.…”

“…Nursing in both countries is perceived as “dirty, low status work because it entails handling others’ bodies and dealing with bodily fluids” ( Al Awaisi, Cooke and Pryjmachuk, 2015 ), creating discord between an image of nursing learned in school and perceptions of society. In Gulf countries nursing has low status devaluing the education and training offered and the care nurses provide, which is further compounded by traditional views and a belief that it is “wrong for girls to work in nursing” because it is “not right for a girl to stay the whole night outside the home” ( Alboliteeh, Magarey, and Wiechula, 2018 , pp. 80).…”