A staff nurse finds a newly licensed, newly hired staff nurse crying in the break room halfway through a shift. The new nurse says, "I am just not getting this. I had no idea nursing would be this hard." The experienced nurse says, "Reality shock is terrible, but you will get through it." What does the nurse mean by reality shock?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1. There is no indication that the new nurse cannot eventually function as a registered nurse.
2. Reality shock is the period of transition from a protected student role to a professional role in which the nurse is responsible and accountable for the care of several clients.
3. Being unclear about the role is role ambiguity.
4. It would be unfair for the manager to determine the nurse's fitness for the profession during reality shock.

A Staff Nurse Finds a Newly Licensed, Newly Hired Staff