Developing professional confidence as a novice nurse : a systematized literature review

Background: Newly graduated nurses are crucial to the nurse supply chain. Yet, the transition into professional practice can be overwhelming, often taking a toll on their professional confidence and contributing to low retention rates. Meanwhile the projected demographic shift indicates a rising demand for qualified nursing staff. Goal: To explore hindering and facilitating factors for novice nurses in the development of their professional confidence within a clinical setting. Methods: A systematized literature review of existing research was conducted including eight studies that were critically appraised using a critical appraisal instrument from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences. A qualitative content analysis was performed leaning on Mayring's (2015) principles. Results: The identified hindering factors include difficult emotions, the negative influence of others, lack of knowledge and skill, as well as institutional struggles. The facilitating factors are experience, NGNs personal influence, structural influence, and the positive influence of others. Conclusion: The findings of this thesis offer valuable insight into the hindering and facilitating factors for NGNs during their transition from students to registered nurse. The gained knowledge may be applied to the development of a concept designed to make this transition easier.