Date of Degree
2025
Degree Name
Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)
Department
Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)
Director
Nyunt, Gudrun
Committee Members
Jaekel, Katy; Hu, Xiaodan
Keywords
professional resilience, new graduate nurse, Covid-19, perseverance, mentoring, resilience strategies, resilience, reflective practice, crisis
Abstract
This qualitative grounded theory study examined how new graduate nurses who entered practice just prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic developed and sustained resilience while navigating extraordinary professional and personal challenges. The study focused on associate degree nurses who graduated between December 2018 and May 2022 and were employed in acute and sub-acute care settings with direct patient care responsibilities, including the care of patients with COVID-19. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective journal entries and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding.
Findings revealed that resilience was not a static characteristic but an evolving process influenced by social support, mentorship, reflective practice, and organizational culture. Participants described both the growth and the fatigue that accompanied efforts to remain resilient. Central to sustaining resilience was reconnecting with the purpose of nursing and strengthening professional identity, which provided motivation and meaning in the face of ongoing stressors.
The emergent theory conceptualizes resilience as both individual and collective, fostered through supportive leadership, intentional opportunities for reflection, and empowering work environments. These findings highlight the importance of moving beyond individual expectations of resilience to recognize the structural and cultural factors that shape it. Implications include the integration of resilience-building strategies into nursing curricula, mentorship programs, and organizational practices to better prepare and sustain new graduate nurses as they transition into professional roles.
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses and dissertations are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors, unless otherwise indicated.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Jennifer E. EdD, "New Graduate Nurse Professional Perseverance Strategies in a Time of Crisis" (2025). Dissertations of Practice. 91.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-disspractice/91
