A cross-sectional survey of British newly graduated nurses’ experience of organization empowerment and of challenging unsafe practices

Abstract

Background: Newly graduated nurses perceive the transition into their new professional role as highly stressful, which may affect their organizational empowerment and assertive communication skills. This study examined newly graduated nurses’ perceived level of organizational empowerment, as well as their perceived assertive communication skills, in given hypothetical scenarios. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 84 newly graduated nurses in four hospitals in eastern England. The study took place between 2015 to 2016. Results: Fifty-one nurses completed the survey, for a 61% response rate. The participants reported a moderate level of organizational empowerment but a high level of perceived assertive communication skills. A statistically significant correlation was found between the participants’ total empowerment average score and their average score on the given hypothetical speaking up scenarios. Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of empowering newly graduated nurses in their work settings and its association with consolidating their assertive communication behavior.