Anna Ehrenberg1, Petter Gustavsson2, Lars Wallin1, Anne-Marie Boström3,4, Ann Rudman5. 1. Professor in Nursing, School of Education, Health and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden. 2. Professor of Psychology, Division of Psychology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 3. Associate Professor, Division of Nursing, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 4. Professor II, Department of Nursing, Stord/Haugesund University College, Norway. 5. Researcher, Division of Psychology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe the developmental trajectories of registered nurses' capability beliefs during their first 3 years of practice. The focus was on three core competencies for health professionals-patient-centered care, teamwork, and evidence-based practice. METHODS: A national cohort of registered nurses (n = 1,205) was recruited during their nursing education and subsequently surveyed yearly during the first 3 years of working life. The survey included 16 items on capability beliefs divided into three subscales for the assessment of patient-centered care, teamwork, and evidence-based practice, and the data were analyzed with linear latent growth modeling. RESULTS: The nurses' capability beliefs for patient-centered care increased over the three first years of working life, their capability beliefs for evidence-based practice were stable over the 3 years, and their capability beliefs for teamwork showed a downward trend. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: Through collaboration between nursing education and clinical practice, the transition to work life could be supported and competence development in newly graduated nurses could be enhanced to help them master the core competencies. Future research should focus on determining which factors impact the development of capability beliefs in new nurses and how these factors can be developed by testing interventions.
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe the developmental trajectories of registered nurses' capability beliefs during their first 3 years of practice. The focus was on three core competencies for health professionals-patient-centered care, teamwork, and evidence-based practice. METHODS: A national cohort of registered nurses (n = 1,205) was recruited during their nursing education and subsequently surveyed yearly during the first 3 years of working life. The survey included 16 items on capability beliefs divided into three subscales for the assessment of patient-centered care, teamwork, and evidence-based practice, and the data were analyzed with linear latent growth modeling. RESULTS: The nurses' capability beliefs for patient-centered care increased over the three first years of working life, their capability beliefs for evidence-based practice were stable over the 3 years, and their capability beliefs for teamwork showed a downward trend. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: Through collaboration between nursing education and clinical practice, the transition to work life could be supported and competence development in newly graduated nurses could be enhanced to help them master the core competencies. Future research should focus on determining which factors impact the development of capability beliefs in new nurses and how these factors can be developed by testing interventions.
Keywords:
capability beliefs; core competencies; linear latent growth modeling; longitudinal; national cohort study; new graduate nurses; social cognitive theory