Literature review focusing on the mental health of new nurses, with emphasis on stressors

Abstract

The aim of this literature review was (i) to highlight the stressors that new nurses experience at work and that are related to their mental health, as well as (ii) to identify current research trends and issues. The online version of the Central Journal of Medicine and the NII Article Information Navigator were used in order to search the literature. As a result, 23 articles were identified. These articles were published between 2012 and 2022 (search date: June 2022), were confirmed to meet the research objectives, and were included in the study. The included articles revealed that the personal stressors of new nurses in the workplace can be classified into six categories: (i) communication, (ii) environment, (iii) professional identity. (iv) stress management, (v) job performance, and (vi) personal characteristics. The personal stress among new nurses was considered as a communication difficulty that arose in situations in which the new nurses realized that they did not adapt well to their working environment. In the future, it will be particularly important to deepen our understanding of the work-related communication stress they experience based on educational considerations.