Insights from early career nurses: How can palliative care nurses nurture their young?

Background: Becoming a nurse can be a daunting experience within a profession that historically has 'eaten its young'. Palliative care nursing in particular, is a highly demanding area of practice where the zeal of new generation nurses can be consumed and lost to the profession. In consideration of recruitment and retention, this potential poses a significant challenge for a workforce that is itself, ageing. Major nursing workforce shortages have been projected in the Health Workforce 2025 report. It is therefore imperative to consider strategies to effectively recruit and retain early career nurses into palliative care settings. New graduates are often discouraged by many misconceptions held by others about working in palliative care-that the work is boring, depressing or deficient in skills base. Furthermore, for those not disparaged the literature suggests that early career nurses, including nursing students, are inadequately prepared to address the biopsychosocial, spiritual and ethical complexities of palliative care practice. However, there is limited evidence exploring the lived experience of early career nurses in palliative care who have been nurtured through the complexities and misconceptions, towards an envisioned career that individually and collectively carries the potential to enable, enrich and transform.

Aim: In giving voice to early career nurses' lived experience of working in palliative care, this paper aims to identify personal insights and examine strategies through which the profession can better attract and retain nurses.

Methods: Through an interpretive paradigm, the authors drew upon a phenomenological methodology, utilising reflective journals and thematic analysis.

Results: Central themes of exposure, role modelling and mentor support were identified. Implications for practice include consideration of structured mentoring programs.

Conclusion: Strategic planning is required to engage and nurture the future generations of palliative care nurses. Innovative recruitment and retention strategies can better enable the enrichment of care and transformation of practice