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

Reality shock is a period of surprise and disequilibrium about the nursing role that new nurses may experience after starting their new job. It is a feeling of being overwhelmed and unprepared for the reality of the job after the expectations they had during their nursing education.

A Staff Nurse Finds a Newly Licensed, Newly Hired Staff