STRAIGHT FROM CRAWLING TO RUNNING: THE TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO COMPETENT ACUTE CARE NURSE A literature review of new nurses’ experience of mentorship programmes in acute care settings

Abstract

Background: Acute care settings such as EDs (Emergency Departments) are high-stakes environments where quick decision-making is essential. These units care for a wide variety of patients with complex and urgent conditions. For new nurses, starting a career in these care settings can be distressing and overwhelming, often due to lack of experience and underdeveloped clinical competence. These challenges highlight the importance for structured mentorship and thorough orientation programmes that can support new nurses in developing their clinical development skills and building professional confidence. Aim: To describe mentorship programmes and to explore the experiences of new nurses participating in these programmes. Method: A literature review was conducted based on nine included studies, which were analysed following Friberg’s model for literature review. Findings: Two main themes were identified: (1) The design of the mentorship programmes, which were further explored through sub-themes including programme structure, support systems, and the characteristics of a good mentor. These elements help to shape a supportive environment for new nurses. (2) The experiences of new nurses participating in these programmes, with subthemes including stability and continuity, workload, team dynamics, and fear and uncertainty. These experiences, in turn, reflect the challenges and growth opportunities faced by new nurses during their transition. Conclusions: Mentorship programmes need to be carefully planned; informal programmes are often not experienced positively by new nurses. When the programme is well structured with clear mentors, the consensus seems to be positive in many aspects. New nurses participating in these mentorship programmes tend to find them useful, despite often being cut short. Further research is needed to truly get the full picture of how new nurses could get the best transition from being a student to working as a nurse in an acute care setting.