Aim: To describe newly graduated nurses' experiences of reflection as a support for professional development during the initial months of their transition while caring for patients in a hospital setting.Design: A qualitative descriptive design.Methods: Four focus groups with 20 newly graduated nurses participating in a professional development programme at aregion in Sweden were conducted in 2023. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.Findings: The analysis identified one main category: Reflection supports newly graduated nurses' professional development during their transition. This main category includes three generic categories: (1) Reflection with peers in a regularly structured dialogue group strengthens the professional role; (2) reflection with experienced healthcare instructors in learning activities enhances the mastery of care tasks; and (3) reflection with experienced colleagues in the workplace enhances task performance. Structured reflection in dialogue groups and interactive learning activities within the Professional Development Programme facilitated deeper reflections on caring experiences.Conclusions: Newly graduated nurses reported that regularly structured reflection, adequate space, and established trust were essential to their professional development. While the professional development programme provided opportunities, variations in the workplace environment led to unequal conditions for reflective practice.Implications for the Profession: Addressing the need for reflection among newly graduated nurses is crucial for organisations to facilitate their transition. Establishing structures for reflection on caring experiences within introduction programmes can support their professional development.Impact: Reflective practice in complex and challenging hospital settings can support the professional development of newly graduated nurses.Reporting Method: The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) was adhered to.Patient or Public Contributions: No patient or public contributions.

Background/Objectives: This study protocol outlines the implementation of a professional development programme (ProDeveloP) designed to support newly graduated nurses (NGNs). NGNs often experience inadequacy and face challenges in developing their professional competence. Healthcare organisations can ease this transition through introduction programmes. However, effective implementation strategies in local healthcare settings remain unclear. This study aims to develop, implement, and evaluate a programme that enhances role clarity, task mastery, social acceptance, stress reduction, and recovery, contributing to increased job satisfaction and retention. Methods: ProDeveloP will be implemented at a regional hospital in mid-Sweden. This study will include a convenience sample of 110 NGNs from both the previous and the new introduction programmes, 20 dialogue facilitators involved in the programme, and 10 managers responsible for NGNs participating in the programme. Data will be collected throughout the ProDeveloP using questionnaires, individual interviews, and focus groups. The data will be analysed using both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Conclusions: This study has the potential to improve NGNs’ work-related health, job satisfaction, and retention while contributing to competence development. By offering structured reflection, mentorship, and organisational support, this research project addresses knowledge gaps in understanding the long-term impacts of introduction programmes and structured reflection, contributing to evidence-based improvements in nursing practice and healthcare leadership. Clinical trial number: NCT06742047. Registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, 19 December 2024.

Introduction: Newly graduated nurses (NGNs) encounter difficulties in their professional development and experience high stress during the transition into practice, which may contribute to early turnover. Providing structured transition support is essential for navigating the complexities of patient care and alleviating stress. Objective: To explore whether participation in a professional development programme (ProDeveloP) with a reflective component during the initial months of transition into practice is associated with NGNs’ perceived stress and professional development in terms of role clarity, task mastery, and social acceptance. Methods: A quantitative intervention study with a non-randomised design. The study was conducted in a region in mid-Sweden. A total of 66 NGNs participated in the study: a control group ( n  =  27) in 2022 and an intervention group ( n  =  39) in 2023. The intervention group comprised NGNs who participated in a ProDeveloP, which builds upon a previous introduction programme consisting of eight educational days. ProDeveloP introduced four additional focus areas – role clarity, task mastery, social acceptance, and recovery – and incorporated structured reflection through six facilitated dialogue group sessions. Data were collected through surveys and analysed statistically. Results: The intervention group, comprising NGNs who participated in ProDeveloP, had significantly lower perceived stress compared with the control group (Mann–Whitney U = 241.000, z = –3.311, p < .001), with a large effect size (Hedges’ g = .956, 95% CI [0.489, 1.575]). This difference remained statistically significant after adjusting for relevant covariates in a linear regression model. No significant differences were observed between the groups in relation to role clarity, task mastery, or social acceptance. Conclusion: Transition support employing a reflective approach, such as ProDeveloP, may lower perceived stress among NGNs during the early transition and can be crucial for ensuring a positive transition experience.