In June, July, and August, healthcare begins its yearly metamorphosis. Newly graduated nurses, physicians, and others in allied health join the ranks as healthcare professionals. Some of us who have been in practice for a while, may think about these months with apprehension. “Here we go again,” we think. This time is always more challenging because the people working beside us are not yet seasoned and don’t yet “know the ropes,” as we like to say. Some newly graduated clinicians will be timid and afraid to ask questions. Others will let their egos get in the way, won’t ask questions, and plunge ahead like a bull in an antique shop. There are others who will be eager and motivated to suck up everything experienced clinicians do, say, and know like a sponge. If you are experienced, you know I speak the truth. If you are new, you may see yourself in one of these 3 categories.

It's time to change the narrative…

I say to you, it’s time to change the narrative. Instead of looking at these months with trepidation, let’s embrace them. We have a problem in healthcare; there aren’t enough experienced clinicians at the bedside anymore. New nurses and other healthcare professionals look forward to their journey of becoming confident and competent at the bedside. They’re interested and motivated to watch, listen, learn, and practice their newfound skills under the guidance of experienced clinicians. They want to better understand the why and how of what we do and then apply it in their own practice. They want to hone their critical thinking skills and use those skills combined with knowledge and assessment to enhance their clinical judgement. They want to become like many of us, experienced clinicians.

At a time when new nurses should be welcomed and nurtured, what do healthcare organizations do? They often don’t adequately support new nurses on their journey. They allow them to be placed into situations where they can’t be successful. What’s wrong with this picture? We can’t expect new nurses to be experts, yet that’s exactly what we say to them, “You should know this already.” If we remember back to our first few months in clinical practice, we were no different than today’s new nurses.

Let’s support new nurses…

Healthcare organizations need to do more to support new nurses by putting in place nurse residency and fellowship programs. These programs allow new clinicians to develop their clinical judgement gradually and with adequate support. Healthcare organizations need to train, support, and reward the experienced clinicians who are willing to be preceptors. Preceptorship should not be viewed as a burden, yet in many cases that’s exactly how preceptors feel. It is an added responsibility to precept new nurses, but at the same time, a privilege to be helping to shape the nurses of our future. Adequate compensation and recognition should be prioritized for experienced nurses to coach new nurses, teach new skills, and act as mentors to help them with career decisions.

Healthcare organizations that want to keep their talent in place need to demonstrate their willingness to invest in the workforce. Supporting the nursing workforce by providing access to self-paced continuing professional development/continuing education activities is a great first step. It’s a way to show nurses that they value lifelong learning and that their future is important to the organization.

Let’s stop looking at June, July, and August with trepidation. Instead, let’s view it for what it is: an opportunity for experienced nurses to share their knowledge and help new nurses toward the path of becoming confident and competent clinicians. Healthcare organizations, it’s your time to demonstrate to your nursing workforce your care for their safety, wellbeing, and happiness. Let’s change the narrative to say, “We care about the next generation of nurses!”
 

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