A new graduate who has been in their nursing career for 6 months and completed orientation 3 months ago is in which stage of professional development?

In the context of professional development, a new graduate who has just completed their orientation and has been practicing for a short duration, such as 6 months, is typically classified in the Entry stage. This stage is characterized by the transition from education to practice, where the nurse begins to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world clinical situations.

At this point, the nurse is still in the early phase of their career, focused on gaining confidence and developing their clinical skills. They are actively learning the nuances of patient care and are often guided by more experienced colleagues. This stage emphasizes building foundational skills and understanding the work environment, which aligns precisely with the experience of a new graduate fresh from orientation.

Mastery is reached much later in one’s career, typically after extensive experience and refinement of skills, while disengagement refers to a phase where a nurse may withdraw or lose motivation in their practice, which does not apply to a new graduate who is just beginning their professional journey. Experimentation, while involving learning and practice, often corresponds to a more advanced level of confidence in applying learned skills, which again, does not match the experience of someone who has just been in the role for a few months post-orientation.

Thus, classifying the new graduate in the Entry