Professional Role Transition in Nursing: Leveraging Transition Theory to Mitigate the Current Human Resource Crises

New graduate nurse (NGN) turnover is emerging as one of the foremost issues in healthcare systems, primarily due to the implications for patient care and the need to secure the human resource future of the nursing profession. The initial months of transitioning into the professional role are crucial for cultivating and developing clinical practice patterns, professional values and a connection to the profession. However, the initial transition period for new nurses is associated with numerous challenges that can interrupt a healthy introduction into practice, justifying the critical prioritization of these issues. In light of these challenges to NGN entry to practice, this paper aims to conceptualize the contemporary professional role transition experiences of new graduate nurses and highlight the potential leverage that transition theories offer in managing this experience. Eleven transition theories relevant to this discourse were identified to enhance the understanding and comprehension of the new graduate nurses to inform future initiatives, directives, interventions and policies.