Career Development Process of Clinical Nurses over 10 Years of Occupational Experiences

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the career development process of clinical nurses with 10 years of occupational experience. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with seven clinical nurses with between 10 and 15 years of constant experience, and analyzed the content. Their development process is comprised of five phases. Several years after the beginning of their careers, they went through a desperate period (1. Working hard to obtain the required nursing skills). Then, they faced a critical time as they continued their careers, while not undergoing any development (2. Confident in their ability, but a feeling of being stuck in a rut). Next, they entered a new phase due to changes in their environment, but they began feeling their previous experiences were a waste (3. Losing their sense of existence value as a nurse). After overcoming this condition, they began their development (4. Developing the nursing skills that they fostered). Eventually, they developed their own nursing style (5. Developing their nursing style and delineating a picture of the future). The researcher thinks that the third and fourth periods are when the nurses' inner career development is largely prompted. The results indicate that it is important for clinical nurses to overcome critical conditions and "develop the nursing style that they have fostered" to advance their career. Clinical nurses' support staff should recognize the possibility of crisis conditions during their careers, help them discover their value, and embrace the nursing activities they have been fostering.