Blooming as a New Nurse Amid Trials and Uncertainty: A Qualitative Content Analysis.

Background: New nurses often face a demand-ability mismatch during their transition to clinical practice, encountering a gap between the required skills and personal abilities. This mismatch contributes to negative emotions and transition shock, a phenomenon particularly pronounced among new nurses in Korea. Objective: This study aimed to explore and understand the transitional experiences of new nurses during their first year of clinical practice. Method: Novice nurses from Seoul, Korea, were recruited for this qualitative study. Data were collected through interviews and analyzed using content analysis. Results: New nurses reported facing uncertainty, overwhelming workloads, and insufficient support. These challenges were organized into: "doubt and self-perception," "insurmountable tasks," "striving for purpose," and "finding solace through connections." Despite these difficulties, their resilience emerged as a central theme, "blooming as a new nurse during trials and uncertainty." Conclusion: New nurses experience significant uncertainty, self-doubt, and a gap between academic learning and the realities of clinical practice during their transition to practice. The findings provide a deeper understanding of their transition experiences and offer a foundation for strategies that support adaptation and workforce retention. Implications for Nursing Management: Nursing managers can translate these insights into best practices by adopting a dual approach-combining clinical transition programs, such as multipatient simulation, with stress management strategies-to strengthen adaptation, safeguard patient safety, and enhance organizational resilience.