Work readiness: Its determinants and association with work‐related outcomes among new graduate nurses

Abstract

<h3>Aims</h3><p>This study aimed to identify determinants of work readiness and to assess the influences of work readiness on work-related outcomes in graduate nurses.</p><h3>Background</h3><p>Higher work readiness facilitates smoother role transitions of new graduate nurses. However, determinants of work readiness had not been fully examined. In addition, the relationships between work readiness and work-related outcomes, such as coping self-efficacy and occupational commitment, are also crucial but had not been assessed.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>We recruited 794 graduate nurses and assessed their work readiness before working as nurses. After they commenced their work, we assessed their occupational commitment, coping self-efficacy and intention to remain. All assessments were conducted online.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>There were 728 (92%) female respondents. The mean scores and standard deviation (SD) of work readiness, coping self-efficacy, occupational commitment and intention to remain were 261.51 (SD: 45.40), 30.30 (SD: 6.13), 81.65 (SD: 11.56) and 11.01 (SD: 2.36), respectively. Based on a regression analysis, determinants of work readiness were positive school climate, student leadership experience, nursing as the primary choice of discipline and perceived influences of COVID-19 on the honorability of being a nurse and the willingness to be a nurse (<em>p</em> < .001). Moreover, after adjusted by all demographics and characteristics variables, higher work readiness would result in higher coping self-efficacy (estimated coefficient = 0.06, <em>p</em> < .001), occupational commitment (estimated coefficient = 0.06, <em>p</em> < .001) and intention to remain (estimated coefficient = 0.01, <em>p</em> = .002).</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Work readiness is a composite concept affected by psychosocial and environmental factors, which can predict new graduate nurses' future self-efficacy, occupational commitment and intention to remain.</p>