Abstract:

Many novice registered nurses feel ill-prepared for rural nursing practice. Using a mixed method design, an assessment of the learning needs of new graduate nurses (NGNs) working in rural hospitals in Alberta, Canada, was undertaken. NGNs in rural practice indicated that they struggle with becoming "multispecialists." Consequently, administrators and nurse educators need to tailor workplace structures by establishing collaborative programs with urban facilities and using orientation tailored to the learning needs of NGNs.