RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: New graduate nurses (NGNs) are a precious resource, but their development from advanced beginners to competent nurses is challenging. METHOD: This qualitative descriptive study explored NGNs' perceptions of strategies that influenced their development in the first 2 years of employment. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of 13 nurses. RESULTS: The study revealed that NGNs learn to master aspects of the nursing role as they construct a professional identity. They identified organizational, educational, and personal strategies as being important to their development, including tailored orientation, opportunities for skill acquisition, and personal support. Few strategies supported the development of professional identity. CONCLUSION: Mastering the nursing role and constructing a professional identity is central to NGNs' development. Further attention from nursing leaders is needed to promote concurrent development in both dimensions. Nurses with a strong professional identity are more likely to remain in the profession.
