Transition to Nursing: Preparation for Practice

How do you think like a staff nurse?

What behaviour and level of work is needed to be awarded your degree?

How will you adapt to working as a professional and working in a team?

This book is for you if you’re in the final stage of a pre-registration nursing course or if you are making the transition to becoming a registered nurse. It provides you with a toolkit of advice to help you deal with challenges you’ll face and prepare you with an understanding of what the university and NMC will be looking for.

Clear advice is given on the academic skills you will need, how to face the rigours of the final year, and what you need to demonstrate in your behaviour and placements. Professional issues covered include using evidence in practice, managing a caseload, and how far to fit into or question workplace culture.

The features of this book include:

• Guidance enriched by the latest research and expert knowledge of this transition period
• Reflective learning boxes to help you identify how you can prepare
• Case studies raising issues from student and registered nurses’ experience going through this transition
• Short chapters enable quick learning to support you now
• Knowledge that will build your confidence and enhance your ability to fit into your first job

This book is recommended reading for all final year nursing students and nurses new to the profession.

"Packed with practical detail and the supporting evidence, it’s obvious the authors are anchored in the reality of today’s complex healthcare environments. The journey from student to registered nurse is more like a vertical ladder than a learning curve. This book helps you climb up every rung of the way. This book doesn’t just describe the process of transition; it gives advice for both academic and practice based achievement, preparing you to think and practise as a staff nurse. It’s a resource you can either dip into as needed, or read from cover to cover. In addition there’s an evidence-based preceptorship toolkit for transition which is a useful tool for employers to devise an effective system of support. The experienced nurse would also benefit from this as a reference tool to support their students and preceptees and a reminder of the demands placed on them."
Liz Allibone, Head of Clinical Education and Training, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, and Chair of UK Clinical Nurse Educator Network

"The transition from student nurse to registered nurse is daunting, to say the least. The realisation of what accountability actually means and the implications of working within the NMC Code (2015) become a reality rather than the focus of an academic essay. This book Transition to Nursing: Preparation for Practice effectively prepares third-year student nurses for the reality of becoming a Registrant. The book offers useful and practical advice on how to make the most of your final year as a student nurse and how to achieve the highest degree classification possible. The book utilises case studies to encourage self-reflection, and consider how the NMC Code (2015) applies to the daily life of a Registrant. The book acknowledges the reality of working in modern day health care and the challenges that it brings - and offers practical advice on how to develop resilience, mindfulness and self-awareness. This book is a must for all final year students."
Mike Parker, Senior Lecturer in Emergency and Unscheduled Care, University of York, UK

"This interesting book takes the pre-registration nursing student on a journey from the beginning of their third year through to registration and working as a newly qualified nurse. The book is divided into three distinct sections, addressing academic aspects, the final clinical placement and lastly registration as a newly qualified nurse. It is written in an easy to read style using a case study approach with each chapter addressing a specific aspect thus allowing it to be read as a whole or dipped into as the need arises. The areas covered in each section are relevant to all fields of nursing and the case studies are realistic and encompass all aspects of the transition. This will be a very useful resource for third year students embarking on what is undoubtedly a stressful year as they strive to achieve success in their nursing degree and make the transition from student nurse to newly qualified nurse."
Pauline Carson, Lecturer, Children and Young People’s Nursing, Queens University Belfast, UK

"Transition to Nursing: Preparation for Practice is an excellent text for all students embarking on the last stages of their journey to become a Registered Nurse. It offers great advice and guidance that will inform and help boost confidence, during the final year of the programme and beyond. The logical structure of the contents and use of case study scenarios allows the reader to develop their understanding of the important aspects of theory and practice requirements at Level 6, and the expectations and reality of life as a Newly Qualified Nurse. This is essential reading for all final year students."
Claire Williams, Senior Lecturer, University of Derby, UK

“Much has been written about transition to practice for newly qualified nurses, Bill and Michelle have done a fantastic job in putting this in one place and producing a valuable resource for student nurses to help them prepare for this part of their journey to registered professional.

They have covered all the important elements of transition including resilience, speaking out, developing confidence and dealing with reality shock culminating in a very handy toolkit that can be used to help manage this exciting and sometimes stressful time !!”

Claire Agnew, Senior Nurse – Clinical Practice Development, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, UK