2023 Volume 24 Issue 1 Pages 129-139
Aim: To describe management by head nurses at general acute-care wards where there are newly-graduated nurses that the head nurses and educators find difficult to work with.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six head nurses, and verbatim transcripts were analyzed inductively.
Results: The head nurses [observed problems regarding the newly-graduated nurses that they find difficult to work with] in terms of 〈difficult situations〉 and 〈impacts on other newly-graduated nurses〉. At the same time, the head nurses [observed educational environment], concerning 〈burdens of preceptors/educators〉, 〈educational capacity of wards〉 and 〈environment that is difficult for newly-graduated nurses to succeed〉. According to the results, the head nurses recognized concerns regarding fatigue accumulated among staff members and risks for medical accidents. Hence, the head nurses [proposed a teaching policy of “not to fall together”], which includes 〈modifying initial educational plan for the newly-graduated nurses whom they find difficult to work with〉, 〈addressing a teaching policy of “not to fall together”〉, 〈arranging tasks that the newly-graduated nurses who are difficult to work with could complete〉, and 〈staffing that balance between workloads and nurses assigned〉. Then, the head nurses [directly intervened with the newly-graduated nurses whom they find difficult to work with] and [provided supports for the preceptors or educators] by 〈correcting interpersonal relationships between the newly-graduated nurses who are difficult to work with and educators〉, 〈developing reliable preceptors/educators〉 and 〈introducing flexibility into wards〉.
Discussion: The head nurses applied diversity management and Observe-Orient-Decide-Act (OODA) loop.
