Career decisions and aspirations of early-career nurses: Insights from a qualitative interpretative description study

To explore the career decisions and aspirations of early-career registered nurses in New Brunswick, Canada. A qualitative study using an interpretive description approach was conducted. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of nurses (n = 22) currently working in New Brunswick, Canada, with up to 5 years of experience from February to April 2022. Participants described diverse career paths and aspirations. Personal factors affecting these included the desire for meaningful work, career satisfaction, work-life balance, spending time with family, working in a preferred location, and finances. Professionally, working conditions were the dominant factor influencing early-career nurses' career decisions and aspirations. Participants described how short staffing, safety, support, and scheduling influenced their day-to-day work, mental and physical health, job and career satisfaction, and intent to leave. The findings highlighted the abundant and diverse career opportunities available to nurses early in their careers. Early-career nurses are interested in finding nursing positions with a high degree of person-job fit and value opportunities for ongoing professional education and growth. This study in New Brunswick, Canada, explores early-career nurses' career decisions and aspirations during nursing shortages and the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of person-job fit. Recommendations include improving working conditions and career pathways to enhance the sustainability of the nursing profession. Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). No patient or public contribution.