Characteristics of Novice Nurses in Pediatric Wards at University Hospitals

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to build up a support system for novice nurses in pediatric wards in university hospitals with clarifying their feature with their variation of assertiveness score and burnout score within a year after their employment.

Methods: Informed consents for participating in our study were given to 1,203 novice nurses. The questionnaires, which dealt with burnout, assertiveness, reality shock, ward assignment preference, transfer preference, job satisfaction were completed by 923 novices in June 2003 and 2004.

Results: Fifty nurses (47 females and 3 males) among them were novice nurses in pediatric wards. The average age of them (23.1 years old) was not significantly different from that of novice nurses in other wards (22.8 years old).

Novice nurses in pediatric wards were significantly characterized from those in other wards on "graduate from university" (p<0.05) "living with family" (p<0.01)" satisfied with their ward assignment preference" (p<0.01) and "feeling satisfied with their caring patients a year after employment" (p<0.05).

In the baseline, the novice nurses in pediatric wards tended to be lower in assertiveness and higher in burnout risks than nurses in other wards. However within a year after their employment assertiveness points were raised higher and their burnout risks were reduced more than nurses in other wards.

Conclusions: For novice nurses in pediatric wards, satisfaction with their ward assignment preference can contribute to feeling satisfied with their caring patients a year after employment, raising up in assertiveness score and reducing in burnout score.