Phelp LPNtoRN 6e

80 Unit I • The Transition Process

humorous but informative texts, you will likely see yourself and those close to you in various reactions and adjustments as you experience role transition and change in enter ing the registered nursing program. THINKING CRITICALLY Read the two books mentioned above. With which characters do you iden tify? What can you learn from other characters to help you adjust to the change you are experiencing in your role transition to a student nurse and then an RN? ATTITUDE The manner in which one approaches change can have a major effect on the ability to adapt. For instance, an employer informs a nurse who has been employed full time by a community health agency for 7 years that only full-time nurses will be taking emer gency calls in the future. The nurse can approach this change in several ways. The first is to endorse the change as positive for continuity of care for the clients who are seen by the agency. The second approach would be to lament to the employer that this is not a fair system and that everyone should have to take calls. This nurse has some control over their adjustment to change, depending on which attitude they adopt. In other changes that are more sudden, or in which an individual has less control, it may be more difficult to have the appropriate attitude. If a loved one dies suddenly, although a positive attitude will assist a person to adjust, other strategies are commonly used. For instance, one person may solicit the support of family members and friends. Others may benefit from joining a support group consisting of people who are experi encing a similar situation. Some people plunge into work or other activities so that they can get on with the business of living and avoid dwelling on the loss. FLEXIBILITY Maintaining an approach that incorporates flexibility also assists with successful adapta tion to change. Especially during rapid or unplanned change, flexibility can help you shift priorities quickly to minimize negative results and move ahead. Flexibility allows you to discover unforeseen opportunities and to grow. In The Reflective Life , Tiberius (2008, 2010) advocates that one acquires self-knowledge in order to be more successful at what one attempts and to set future goals. She notes the need to know our values but to have the wisdom to be reflective, to question these values, and to be flexible to change as needed. COPING STRATEGIES Coping strategies vary and often depend on the circumstances and previous coping methods used. When faced with change, one person may try to avoid it, whereas another faces it directly. A third person may try to enlist the support of others or gather more information to deal with the change more effectively. All these methods may be effective in the adjustment to change. In your return to school, you must identify what strategies will assist you in being successful. Obviously, a positive attitude is extremely beneficial, not only for you but also for your student colleagues. It is often useful to develop a support system within the student nurse group. A small group of colleagues will provide support and guidance for

Copyright © 2025 Wolters Kluwer, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction of the content is prohibited.