Unit 3

Transitioning
to the Graduate
PN Role
NFDN 2008
Unit 3:
Transitioning to the Graduate Practical Nurse

Topic 3.1
Thriving For the Future and Career Planning
 Learning Objectives
• Explore and discuss transitioning to the grad PN
role.
• Explore continuing education and the continuing
competency program
• Discuss next class, the mock interview process.
 Role Transition
Move from a familiar role to an unfamiliar role
•Student Nurse Role to the Practical Nurse Role

Adapting to a new role Novice Professional Nurse

•Changes to the way you act
•Changes to the way people
interact with you
•Role challenges
•Disrupted, uncertainty, Anxiety
•Change in Professional Identity
Transition Shock
Clash between
learned ideals
and actual nursing
practice

- High psychological demands - Job strain

- Lack of social support - Desire to leave the job
- Fear, Anxiety - “Hit the Ground Running”
ROLES

• Responsibilities
• Opportunities
• Lines of Communication
• Expectations
• Support
 Review the ROLES
• Are the expectations realistic?
• Do you require further education to do your role effectively?
• Do you have a Mentor or Buddy?
• Describe the workplace as you want it to be. Is this what the
workplace is? Adjust your thinking.
• Seek out partnerships. Is there anyone else new that might be feeling
as you do? Talk to staff about how they felt as a new employee.
• Remember, you are the TRAINEE.
Grow through Preceptorship
and Mentorship.
How long will this transition take?
The First Year of Practice

1. DOING 2. BEING 3. KNOWING

Learning Searching Separating
Performing Examining Recovering
Concealing Doubting Exploring
Adjusting Questioning Critiquing
Accommodating Revealing Accepting

Boychuk Duchscher Figure 27-2

Yoder-Wise Chpt 27 P 507
First 3 Months

DOING – ORIENTATION – ROLE TRANSITION

• Introduction to the workplace
• Learn structure and role function
• Roles, responsibilities, relationships
• Knowledge within a work environment
• Transition from learner to competent Practical Nurse
• Know your limitations
• Accountability within the work environment
3-6 Months
BEING – INTEGRATION
• Development of increasingly advanced and enhanced professional
role
• Understanding the workplace
• Reasoning, judgement, decision-making, communication
• Workload
• Crisis management
• Inter/Intra-professional
communication
• Negotiation, conflict resolution
• Professional collaboration
6-12 Months

KNOWING – STAABILIZATION
• Maturation of professional identity
• Focus on career plans and trajectory
• Honing of professional goals and ambitions
• Building professional engagement
• Work commitment
Strategies to Promote Role Transition
• Strengthen internal resources.
• Assess the workplace.
• Negotiate the role.
• Grow through mentorship.
• Preceptorship
• Develop role specific knowledge and skills.
• Perform role transition self-assessment
How Do You Know When You Have
Transitioned?
Role transition Self Assessment

Page 515 of text book.

 SMART Goals
• Specific SMART GOALS
• What are some SMART Goals for new
• Measurable Graduates in their first Post-Graduate Role?

• Agreed On • SMART Goals lead to higher performance than

vague and general goals

• Realistic
• Why?

• Time Bound
Career Planning
Leading and Managing your Career

• Leading
• Create a vision of who and what you wish to be
• Managing
• Make decision and engaging in activities that
enable you to achieve your vision
 The Donner-Wheeler
Model

• A career planning and

development model
• Career resilience and self-
efficacy development
 Visioning

• What do I really want to be doing?

• Vision as a dream for your career
• Can help you to recognize and take advantage of an
opportunity when it occurs

21
 Assessing

• Who am I? How do others see me?

• Self-assessment will expand over time
• Explores your professional and personal values,
your knowledge, skills, interests and
accomplishments

22
 Scanning

• What are the current realities and future trends?

• Environmental scan

23
 Planning

• How can I achieve my career goals?

• Set career goals (short- and long-term)
• Break down the goals to specific manageable
action steps

24
 Marketing

• How can I best market myself?

• Identify your professional and personal qualities,
attributes, and expertise to be able to
communicate what you have to offer
• Market through using paper (CV, cover letter,
publications), in person (interviews, presentations,
mentoring), and online (email, social media)

25
SMART Objectives!

• What does SMART stand for?

• Why would these types of goals lead to a better
outcome?
• Examples?
Projections For The Future

• Knowledge and Technology Influences

• Economic Influences
• Global Trends
• Health Trends
• Work Trends
Leadership Demands for the Future and
The Future of Nursing

• Aging work forces

• Changes in demographics
• Technology
Questions??