Health characteristics and factors associated with transition shock in newly graduated registered nurses: a latent class analysis

Abstract

Abstract Background Transition shock occurs at a vulnerable time in newly graduated registered nurses’ careers and has a clear impact on both newly graduated registered nurses’ productivity and patient recovery outcomes. Identifying classification features of transition shock and targeting interventions to support newly graduated registered nurses is imperative. The study aimed to explore potential transition shock subgroups of newly graduated registered nurses and further explore the impact of population characteristics and two indices of health on transition shock. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional design was conducted. An online questionnaire was sent via WeChat to newly graduated registered nurses who started work in 2021 at seven hospitals between August and November 2021, and 331 nurses filled out the questionnaire. Latent class analysis was used to identify the potential class of the transition shock of newly graduated registered nurses, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to determine the factors of potential classification. Results The study identified four classes of transition shock in newly graduated registered nurses, namely, “high transition shock”, “physical fatigue-lack of knowledge”, “development adaptation” and “low transition shock-worry” groups. Newly graduated registered nurses who urinated less than 4 times per day (OR = 0.051, 95% CI = 0.005–0.502) were likely to be in the “high transition shock” group. Newly graduated registered nurses who did not delay urination (OR = 4.267, 95% CI = 1.162–11.236) were more likely to belong to the “low transition shock-worry” group. Newly graduated registered nurses without sleep disturbance were more likely to be in the “physical fatigue - lack of knowledge” (OR = 3.109, 95% CI = 1.283–7.532), “development adaptation” (OR = 8.183, 95% CI = 2.447–27.066), and “low transition shock-worry” (OR = 8.749, 95% CI = 1.619–47.288) groups than in the ‘high transition shock’ group. Conclusions This study highlights potential patterns of transition shock among newly graduated registered nurses. Two indices of health, namely, delayed urination and sleep disturbance, can predict the subgroups of newly graduated registered nurses with transition shock.