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Role Transition: Internationally Educated RN to BScN

Sikhulekile Owusu 501118439

Ryerson University

The Evolution of Theoretical Knowledge

Dr Elaine Santa Mina

November 9, 2021
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Introduction

I am transitioning from an internationally educated registered nurse (RN) currently practising as

a registered practical nurse in Ontario. I graduated with a 3-year diploma in general nursing as an

RN in Zimbabwe in 2001, I worked in acute mental health and in medical air rescue- for 3 years

before immigrating to Swaziland where I worked in emergency room, infectious disease, public

health. Since immigrating to Canada in 2008, I have worked in acute and chronic mental health,

held various roles in long term care as an infection control nurse, RAI-MDS coordinator and

quality control nurse. My main reasons for pursuing the BScN and my career goals are to

improve my knowledge base in providing care to patients, with increased knowledge comes

improved critical thinking skills, will be able to provide care to complex patients and mange my

patients better. When you speak as an RPN in team meetings, the other professions have little

regard to what you have to say. I want to be a better advocate for my patients or residents

through advocating or being part of team that advocates for patients or residents or users of

healthcare services. I hope to lead an infection control team or quality improvement team in the

future.

Meleis’ transition theory, the name speaks for itself, transition, I am going through a transition of

role change. I used to be a registered nurse who was able to consult, prescribe, order diagnostic

tests, and interpret those results to my patients, suture, and provide wound care. In Canada my

RN diploma is no longer being registered, I can only register as an RPN, which is new to me had

no idea what the role was. I had to shift roles and learn a new scope of practise. To be recognized

as an RN I must go back to school and obtain a baccalaureate in Nursing. The types of transition,

conditions of transition pointed out what I am going through in a noticeably clear and simple

manner. No other theory could have been more applicable.

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Paper will apply and analyze Meleis' theory through the transition process from IEN to BScN

RN with supported literature.

Transitioning to BScN RN

My transition according to Meleis ' theory is situational. There are two parts in transitioning to

BScN, for me. My transitioning was triggered by the need to get the BScN, which involved

completing a bridging program for internationally educated nurses at George Brown college

before being enrolled in the post diploma program at Ryerson University. I think holding a

baccalaureate in nursing will enable me to provide improved patient care that is evidenced based

and oversee complex situations and intervene appropriately. I for see my thought changing

regarding patient care and quality of care provided, as well as my patient assignment changing, I

currently have less complex patient’s assignment. According to Spetz& Bates (2013) “nursing

care is becoming very complex and warrants higher education.” I have already completed the

leadership and management program in healthcare in anticipation of securing a leadership role in

healthcare. The theory course and research courses seem more applicable to improve my

thoughts around research and evidence-based practise. I will understand and apply theory and

research in my practise through using evidence-based practise. I find research challenging and I

anticipate statistics will be challenging, I am not good with numbers and formulae. I will build

on my strengths of willing to learn. Time management is another factor too, between being a

fulltime student, a parent and spouse and working part time, I am performing separate roles.

According to Allison Brandt Anbari, (2015). RN students experience role strain as they are

performing multiple roles outside of work and school. Time management study skills will be

explored that will assist me getting better understanding of my courses and grasping the

information I learn. Being an adult learner and experiencing different type of teaching with the
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program being virtual for now it takes away students’ chance to interact with peers and form

study groups which can be beneficial especially when one is an older student, we learn from

others. I plan to meet with my professors and faculty from time to time to review my progress

and areas that need improvement, setting aside time to study and complete schoolwork without

disturbances, engage with my peers through online discussions or discussion board postings. I

will continue to build on my organization skills which will also help me in my career goals

through remaining organized, studying and maintaining a home and being a parent to my

children. I am also building on my leadership strengths, and I think have improved. I see myself

in group work initiating and taking the lead and I also encourage my group members to not only

remain engaged during group discussions but to speak up when our group is called. I must

improve on how I study to retain the knowledge and reduce panic and anxiety during exams and

read my questions thoroughly to get the correct answer. For future courses like statistics, I plan

to have an open mind going into those courses and remain focused and attentive to increase my

chances of success. I have set dedicated times to study, my timetable is always visible, I created

a separate schedule for school, family, and work.

Conclusion:

My role transition from IEN to BScN will be successful if I consider the steps to success I

identified like time management, improving study skills, having conversations with my

professors periodically to identify progress and areas needing improvement, remaining focused

and maintaining my health.

Theory Analysis

Thew purpose of the theory is used to identify and explain the transition experience as one goes

from one role to another in different circumstances that may enable or inhibit the ability to learn
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or function in the new role or circumstance.(Meleis' 2007).A good description of the concepts is

given the types of transitions- developmental, situational, health illness, organizational and

properties of transition experience ,timespan, process, disconnectedness, awareness and critical

points. The conditions of transition experience be it personal, community, society or global. The

interventions which are clarifying roles, competencies meanings, identification of milestones,

mobilize support and debrief as well as patterns of response which include engaging, fluid and

interactive identity, resourcefulness, healthy interactions are well outlined as well as the nursing

therapeutics.(Meleis 2007).The theory is logical in that it’s major goals were to prepare

individuals and families for developmental, situational, health illness transitions and cope with

the changes in a positive way. It becomes congruent with my situation in that there was a trigger

in me to acknowledge need to go to school, worked towards admission, by completing the

bridging program at college. It is situational transition, one of the types of transitions in Meleis

’theory, and how I will experience and respond to the transition from going to school and

assuming a new role on completion of school.

In the interventions the theory mentions identifying milestones, but we do not know when these

milestones occur, or what the milestones are neither do we know whose roles or competencies

are being referred to, is it the nurse or the patient.

This theory is useful to guide my transition to the BScN prepared Registered Nurse role in

Ontario. Having knowledge of this theory allows me to envision the change, it allows me to see

the distinct types of transitions and where these transitions could occur and identify the type of

transition that is applicable to me. By being able to identify the role or transition process I am

going through to become a BScN RN, I will understand my patients better as they go through

different transitions themselves and be able to provide quality care for them.
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Reference.

Anbari, A.B. (2015). The RN to BSN Transition: A Qualitative Systematic Review. Global

Qualitative Nursing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/2333393615614306

Schumacher, K. L., & Meleis, A. I. (1994). Transitions: a central concept in nursing. Image--the

journal of nursing scholarship, 26(2), 119–127. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-
5069.1994.tb00929.x

Joanne Spetz and Timothy Bates. (2013) Is Baccalaureate worth it? Return to education 2000-

2008 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3876405/