New graduate nurse self-concept and retention : a longitudinal survey

Graduate nurse attrition is an increasing phenomenon within a world of decreasing nursing numbers. The newly developed nursing self-concept of the graduate nurse may provide a key indicator for predicting graduate retention. This study explores the development of multiple dimensions of nursing self-concept and examines their relationship to graduate nurse retention plans. A descriptive survey design with repeated measures was utilised to assess nurse self-concept and retention plans. The key findings suggest that multiple dimensions of graduate nurse self-concepts rise significantly in the second half of their graduate year and that nurse general self-concept is a strong predictor of graduate nurse retention. The implications of this study are that monitoring of self-concept throughout the transitional period for new nurses can lead to early detection and appropriate intervention strategies thereby improving retention rates for new nurses.