Challenges Facing New Graduate Nurses in Choosing Teaching Hospitals for Healthcare Service Delivery: A Qualitative Study; [تبيين چالش هاي نودانش آموختگان پرستاري در انتخاب بيمارستان هاي آموزشي برايارايه خدمات بهداشتي/ درماني: يك مطالعه كيفي]



Sarkhani N ; Shahsavari H ; Nikpeyma N
Source: HAYAT Published:2026

Abstract

Background & Aim: Newly graduated nurses play a vital role in fulfilling hospital workforce requirements; however, their transition into teaching hospitals is accompanied by numerous challenges. Thus, this study aimed to explore the challenges faced by newly graduated nurses when selecting teaching hospitals for healthcare service provision. Methods & Materials: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted in 2023 with the participation of 36 undergraduate nursing students from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, who were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured individual interviews. The data were analyzed manually using framework analysis, and the trustworthiness of the data was established based on Guba and Lincoln’s criteria. Results: Data analysis led to the extraction of 11 subcategories and 5 main categories. The identified categories included: challenges related to nursing services (e.g., heavy workload); human relations challenges (e.g., lack of choice in preferred wards); financial challenges (e.g., salary and benefit delays); accessibility challenges (e.g., long commuting distance); and challenges related to the low priority of hospital employment (e.g., due to the intention to continue education). Conclusion: The findings revealed that newly graduated nurses face a range of challenges throughout the process of selecting teaching hospitals. These results underscore the need for health policymakers and hospital managers to focus on improving working conditions, enhancing financial and human support, facilitating easier access, and offering motivational incentives. Utilizing these findings can contribute to the development of effective strategies for attracting and retaining newly graduated nurses in teaching hospitals. Copyright © 2026 The Authors.