Status and related factors of professional growth among young nursing talents: a cross-sectional study in China

BACKGROUND: The shortage of nurses has been a global human resources problem. A good professional growth environment is essential to developing potential nursing students and attracting nurses to join, and it has great significance in reducing nurse turnover. However, nurses' comprehensive perceptions of professional growth have not yet been examined. METHODS: A cluster sampling method was used to conduct a professional growth questionnaire survey on young nursing talents from a large Chinese public tertiary A hospital in March 2022. RESULTS: The score of professional growth among 243 young nursing talents was 57.92 ± 9.607, with a scoring rate of 77.23%. The scores for dimensions of professional growth, from lowest to highest, were rehabilitation growth, promotion speed, professional goal progress, and professional ability development. Attitudes towards participating in training, service as the quality manager or clinical teacher, self-efficacy, professional title, work-family support, education, and organizational commitment of young nursing talents were significantly associated with professional growth. CONCLUSION: The professional growth of young nursing talents was at a moderate level and needed to be strengthened. Nursing leaders and managers are expected to develop management practices to enhance young nursing talents' professional growth in combination with the related factors.