RN, MN; Assistant Professor, Brandon University
Presenting on: Thursday October 21
Session Title: Finding Balance and Belonging While Facing Racism, Sexism, and Criticism: The First Year of RPN and RN Transition into the Workforce
Session description: According to the Transition Shock theory (Boychuk-Duchscher, 2012), newly graduated nurses experience a tumultuous first year of practice. The pandemic has ravaged the health care system further impacting new graduates’ first year of practice. “During the pandemic, nursing [and psychiatric nursing] graduates are entering a health care system that is volatile and overwhelmed” (Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing, 2020, p. 2). In addition, racism continues to be a problem in health care (Elias & Paradies, 2021). New Manitoba graduates that include Registered Nurses (RNs) and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs) in their first year of practice have encountered racism in health care. Racism has been directed towards graduates and they have witnessed health care professionals exhibiting racism towards patients. Not only is racism destructive, it influences the health of everyone, especially racialized individuals (Elias & Paradies, 2021).
Learning Objectives:
(1) How do registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses experience their transition into the workplace?
(2) What are the challenges experienced by these individuals in their first year (amid the COVID-19 pandemic)?
(3) Are there mediating factors that assist entry-level professionals within these groups in their transition into the workforce?
Speaker Biography: Nadine Smith is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Psychiatric Nursing. Nadine is committed to high-quality instruction and has taught in a variety of clinical and academic settings. Nadine is dedicated to advancing learning opportunities for psychiatric nursing students and is proud to have the opportunity to influence the education of psychiatric nursing. Nadine’s research interests include: mental health and well-being, nursing and psychiatric nursing education, clinical education, peer mentorship, and the lived experience of nurses and students. Nadine is also an Associate Member in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Brandon University as well as a member of the Centre for Critical Studies of Rural Mental Health at Brandon University.