#NurChat – How can we support newly qualified nurses?

This #NurChat discussion was suggested by @susiqa and set out to look at how we can support newly qualified nurses. We can all remember those first days as newly qualified nurses, I know I certainly do. I distinctly remember the butterflies in my stomach as I walked on to the ward for the first time as a staff nurse thinking that this is it and I was now meant to know everything! Some 16 years later  I now know that even now I can’t possibly know it all but what I do realise is that those early days as a qualified nurse are very scary for a lot of us and therefore vital to development - this is what made this NurChat debate so interesting  for me.

The discussion started by asking if we need to support newly qualified nurses – I am glad to say that most thought that we do need to support the newly qualified @Taz2be summed up the general opinion by tweeting “Of course we need to, how will they learn? The small time they get on placement isn’t enough to support them”

The NurChatters then moved on to discuss the possibility of a probationary year @kaffando tweeted “A probationary year is an interesting idea; how could it be carried out ?”

@bartontd suggested “We need the Uni’s and NHS to work much more closely on Post Reg Career Frameworks”

@nursemaiden added “That is why we were trying to develop a skills passport for that purpose”  and went on to say “A skills passport is given out at university and follows the student from cradle to grave logging all training, qualifications”

Preceptorship was then brought up and a few participants had experience of this @kathjlo tweeted “I had a six month preceptorship programme when I qualified 11 years ago and felt like I needed it”

@spinalnurse then said “I was lucky I had a keen preceptor but even then things fizzled out after 8 weeks as no structure and no time!” 

Newly qualified nurses who go straight to work in the private sector was brought up by @kathjlo “but what bugs me is newly qualifieds who go into private sector nursing homes and don’t get the support they need”

@mikkywatt tweeted in response “am private sector and we can join Flying Start Scheme, only been a week so not sure how effective it is for us though”  and went on to tweet “…depends on the company but all nqn’s in Scotland can sign up, just not well promoted”

The role of nurse mentors was discussed as it was mentioned that there seems to be a lack of them @kathjlo tweeted “often private employers are reluctant to employ a mentor”

Whilst @Taz2be highlighted the importance of mentors “mentoring is a must ,the NQN are r future & will be nursing and teaching our families. U have to be supportive of them”

@mikkywatt suggested “maybe a pool of mentors available over social networks? Would help those who can’t get one at work”  and this was picked up as being a great idea but it was mentioned that face to face time is also very important.

For me the most amazing thing about this chat was the willingness of the nurse community on twitter to provide support to newly qualified nurses – whilst chatting about mentors @kaffando tweeted “I for one..being a very old RN…would love to give my time to a NQN to provide support and guidance” she went on to tweet “I’m sure there are other older RN’s like myself out there who would love to be involved in supporting NQNs“ I felt that this was truly inspirational and sums up the amazing spirit of the nurse community on twitter for sharing and supporting. Speaking as someone who very much champions online nurse community I felt very humbled at the support and guidance that nurses are willing to give each other. 

The full transcript of the debate can be found on the NurChat blog and has concluding tweets on what participants would take away from the chat and how they would each support newly qualified nurses. 

Teresa Chinn heads up NurChat for Newcross Healthcare Solutions - Nurchat is a fortnightly twitter chat for nurses exploring different topics that vary enormously. Anyone can suggest a NurChat discussion subject simply by tweeting @NurChat or by visiting the NurChat blog

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