Transition Shock and Work Readiness Among Newly Employed Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Mediating Role of Professional Self-Efficacy.

BACKGROUND: This study examined how professional self-efficacy mediates the relationship between transition shock and work readiness in newly employed nurses. Transition shock challenges novice nurses, affecting their confidence and practice readiness. Research has explored structural and organizational factors contributing to this phenomenon, including workload, time pressure, staffing constraints, role ambiguity, and limited transition support through orientation/preceptorship and supervision. However, understanding of psychological resources that can mitigate these demands is limited. This study, guided by the Job Demands-Resources model, views transition shock as a job demand and professional self-efficacy as a personal resource aiding workplace adaptation.

METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 215 newly employed nurses at a large public hospital in Turkey. Data were collected with validated scales and analyzed with descriptive statistics, correlations, and structural equation modeling.

RESULTS: Higher professional self-efficacy was associated with lower transition shock and greater work readiness. Mediation analysis showed that self-efficacy partially mediated this relationship.

CONCLUSION: Professional self-efficacy is a key psychological resource that mitigates transition shock and enhances work readiness among novice nurses.