“Newly Licensed RNs' Characteristics, Work Attitudes, and Intentions to Work”
American Journal of Nursing
C.T. Kovner, PhD, RN, FAAN
C.S. Brewer, RN
S. Fairchild, MPH
S. Poornima, MS
H. Kim, PhD, RN
M. Djukic, MS, RN
Volume 107 Number 9/ September 2007
Abstract
This article gives details using a survey and a compilation of the information for comparison. This information was collected over the course of two years. The article gives a better understanding of how newly licensed RN's perceive there job, what their intentions are to work, and their attitude toward their chosen profession.
Newly Licensed RNs’ Characteristics, Work Attitudes, and Intentions to Work.
When a person, whether they be in their 20's, 30's, or 40's, makes the decision to start a nursing career it becomes one of the biggest choices they will ever make. The biggest factor in the healthcare field is whether a newly licensed nurse remains satisfied and retains their current position. The above authors used a survey as the method of collecting the necessary information needed. They mailed a survey to a random sample of new RN’s in thirty-five states and the District of Columbia. Of the initial 14,512 surveys mailed, 3,266 returned the surveys; this was a response of 56%. The data pertained to four areas: respondent characteristics, work-setting characteristics, respondents’ attitude toward work, and job opportunities. The respondents who were not working were asked questions to specify why. The results were as follows: of the newly licensed RN’s 58.1% had and associates degree, 37.6% had a bachelor’s degree, and 4.3 had a diploma or a master’s degree. Around 13% changed jobs after one year, and 37% felt they were ready to change jobs, but had not done so yet. Half of the respondents (51%) volunteered to work overtime and 13% worked mandatory overtime. A quarter of these respondents found it to be “difficult or impossible” to do...