Abstract
Background & Aim: Social support is a complex and ambiguous concept and also a critical element for new nursing graduates in the work environment. In this study, due to many uncertainties about this concept, the researchers decided to analyze the concept of social support of new nursing graduates in workplace to clarify its meaning using hybrid model.
Material & Methods: This study was done in three phases (theoretical, field work, and final analysis). In theoretical phase, the related articles in valid scientific databases such as PROQUEST, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SIENCEDIRECT, BLACKWELL were assessed from 1990 to 2012. In field work phase, nine nurses were interviewed. Then the interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was done. Total analysis and comparison was done in the final stage.
Results: Based on the theoretical phase, the best definition and characteristics of social support was selected. Considering doing interviews with Iranian nurses, in addition to attributes and characteristics found in the theoretical phase, four major themes were immerged in the field work phase including: " facilitator of adaptation with working life", "social support as a basic need", "the factor of stress reduction", and "a developing process". In final stage with the integration of the first two stages, more attributes of social support were manifested and the nature of this complex concept was discovered.
Conclusion: This study showed that social support have been a multi-dimensional , complex, interactive, and reciprocal process between the new nursing graduates and their colleagues in the clinical work environment and have led to growth, skills enhancement, increasing confidence and flourishing new graduates and also feeling of satisfaction in supportive nurse. The findings of this study can be used to develop a tool t o assess the amount of social support in nursing work environment and would be a basis for further research in this area and to expand nursing knowledge.Rights and permissions | |
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