24 Feb Transition Stories of Three Nurses

Three orthopedic staff nurses at a local hospital went out to dinner after their busy shift. The discussion shifted from their challenging day to how they each arrived at their current point in their nursing careers. Each nurse’s story began with their decision to become a nurse.

· Lou: A 45-year-old married father of two, Lou decided to go back to school 10 years ago after his position at a local business was eliminated. Initially, he thought that becoming a nurse would allow him to maintain his lifestyle and support his family. His first position was as an emergency room nurse at an inner-city hospital, where he lasted two months before his wife threatened divorce if he didn’t slow down. After bouncing from various units and hospitals, Lou has been in his current position for four years.

· Cindy: A 23-year-old nurse with one year of experience on the orthopedic unit, Cindy decided to become a nurse in high school after taking a vocational class. She struggled with the transition from high school, where she was a straight-A student, to university, where she considered dropping out several times. Cindy met her fiancé a month after graduation, and her wedding is in two weeks.

· Tina: A 30-year-old divorced mother of three, Tina took a long time to work her way through nursing school. She decided to attend nursing school a month after her divorce, balancing her studies with supporting her children. Tina recently bought her first home and plans to pursue a graduate degree next fall.

Discussion Questions:

1. Transition Experiences:

· Identify the positive and negative transitions that each of these nurses has experienced. How do these transitions align with Duchscher’s stages of transition and Kramer’s reality shock?

2. Reality Shock:

· Which nurse is most likely to have experienced reality shock during the transition from student to nurse? Explain your reasoning using concepts from either Duchscher’s and/or Kramer’s frameworks.

3. Personal Reflection:

· Everyone has a unique story. Which nurse’s experience best represents your own? Reflect on your own transition experiences and discuss how you relate to their journey.