Learning Objective #1: identify stressors the graduate nurse faces as they enter the workforce in the acute care setting.

Learning Objective #2: identify strategies which may be implemented to assist the graduate nurse from making the transition from student role to nursing role.

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Abstract The research undertaken was a qualitative, phenomenological study to determine the lived experiences of new graduate nurses in the acute care setting. Face-to-face, semi-structured, audio-taped interviews were conducted for data gathering. Five participants were interviewed. All were employed at a small, suburban hospital in WNY. All were female with three to nine months post orientation experience. The emerging themes were: Educational preparedness; getting a feel for the floor; preceptor impact; an emotional experience - which containted three subthemes of overwhelmed, self-doubt and fulfilling; and doing your own thing. Emotions reported ranged from stressful and overwhelming, to insecure and doubtful about their nursing abilities; to feelings of guilt when a patient’s health deteriorated. All participants described feelings of fulfillment and excitement. Finding implications include the need for nurse mentors, preceptor preparedness, education of senior floor nurses, practice code drills, the modification of college clinical experiences, and the need to keep the excitement of the new nurse strong.