Nurse education in practice
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Teaching has long been recognised as an important role for nurses. In addition, much has also been written about new graduates' transitions to professional practice. However, the role of new graduates in teaching is unclear, and at what point they are required to teach others as part of their practice. ⋯ New graduates are required to teach others, both formally and informally, early after registration. This requirement of professional practice is assisted by the inclusion of an education subject embedded in the undergraduate nursing degree.
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Australia has an increasing demand for a sustainable primary health care registered nursing workforce. Targeting graduate registered nurses who typically begin their nursing career in acute-care hospital settings is a potential workforce development strategy. We evaluated a graduate registered nurse Community Transition to Professional Practice Program which was designed specifically to develop and foster skills required for primary health care. ⋯ All of the 25 graduates (n = 12 community, n = 13 acute-care) who completed the questionnaire at 6 and 12 months intended to remain in nursing, and 55% (n = 6) of graduates in the Community Transition Program intended to remain in the primary health care nursing workforce. There were no differences in graduate experiences, including level of competence, or preceptors' perceptions of graduate competence, between acute-care and Community Transition Programs. The Community Transition to Professional Practice program represents a substantial step towards developing the primary health care health workforce by facilitating graduate nurse employment in this area.