The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) says every new graduate nurse must be guaranteed access to structured transition support, with up to 30 per cent of early career nurses abandoning practice within years of starting while Australia stares down a projected shortfall of almost 80,000 nurses by 2035.
Well-designed nursing transition to practice programs build confidence and competence and keep nurses in the profession. Yet fewer than half of graduates – around 40 per cent – secure a place in a public transition program. The majority depend on private programs or, more often, get no structured support at all. With roughly 30,000 graduates entering the workforce every year, it is estimated 6,000 to 9,000 new nurses could be lost to the profession annually.
Research shows that of nurses in their first five years of practice, 20 to 30 per cent leave the nursing profession altogether – two to three times the rate of mid-career nurses, of whom only around 10 per cent leave.
Many newly graduated nurses land in high-responsibility roles they have not been prepared for, burn out, and leave. This challenge is not limited to hospitals, with graduates entering aged care, primary health care and community settings also experiencing similar gaps in support.
Current support programs are fragmented, inconsistent across states and employers, and lack transparent outcome reporting.
ACN has published a new position paper, calling on governments to act now by:
- Investing in access – guaranteeing every new graduate nurse is supported through their transition to practice, via an organisation-led program or funded scholarships for ACN's Transition to Practice Program.
- Developing a National Nursing Transition to Practice Program Framework – defining the core elements every program should deliver: local orientation, preceptorship and mentorship, clinical supervision, gradual competency building, Cultural Safety, long-lasting rotations, psychological support, and clear career pathways.
- Investing in research – funding studies on transitions of practice, and transition program design, outcomes and impact on retention, so policy and resources go where they work.
“Australian taxpayers make a significant contribution to the education of most nursing students through Commonwealth Supported Places,” said ACN Chief Executive Officer, Adjunct Professor Kathryn Zeitz FACN.
“Too often we fail to provide the support needed to help graduates transition from new graduates to the confident and competent nurses our ageing and increasingly unwell population requires.”
“With a shortfall of 80,000 nurses projected by 2035, we cannot afford such a loss. Every graduate, whether they start in a hospital, aged care or primary health care, deserves a properly supported first year,” said Adjunct Professor Zeitz.
“Strong transition support is not only a workforce issue. It is fundamental to ensuring Australians receive safe, high-quality care from confident and well-supported nurses,” said Adjunct Professor Zeitz.
Australia cannot educate nurses only to lose them. Coordinated national action will keep new nurses in the workforce, protect the public's investment, and safeguard the quality of care for all Australians.
ACN’s new Position Statement and Discussion Paper can be found online:
Next-Gen Nursing Discussion Paper: Forging a Future of Excellence Through Strong Early Career Nursing Programs: https://www.acn.edu.au/advocacy-policy/policy-paper-next-gen-nursing
Transition to Practice Programs Position Statement: https://www.acn.edu.au/advocacy-policy/position-statement-transition-to-practice-programs
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