Enhancing preceptorship to mitigate transition shock among newly registered nurses working in primary care
To enhance your understanding of the concept of transition shock in nursing practice
To consider how general practice settings can support newly registered nurses and increase nurse retention
To recognise the main features of effective preceptorship programmes that smooth the transition from nursing student to registered nurse
Transition shock is a relatively new concept that describes the challenges of moving from the familiar role of preregistration nursing student to that of registered nurse. Newly registered nurses have to assume a new professional identity and meet the expectations that go with their new role while developing their skills and confidence for clinical practice. Transitioning to the role of general practice nurse can be particularly daunting due to the many pressures and the level of autonomous practice required in that setting. Preceptorship has a pivotal role in smoothing the transition, and preceptors can mitigate transition shock for newly registered nurses by offering support, empathy, encouragement and guidance. However, comprehensive and robust preceptorship programmes are not always offered in primary care settings and preceptorship in primary care needs to be enhanced.
