Spotlight on Research

The transition from student to qualified healthcare practitioner can be challenging, with previous studies identifying the initial transition phase as an especially emotionally turbulent time. It is during this phase that new clinicians are at highest risk of leaving the profession, which exacerbates current concerns over the recruitment and retention of healthcare practitioners. Health Education England employed the term ‘flaky bridge’ to describe the initial transition period for newly qualified practitioners and identified a need to decrease anxiety and increase confidence for clinical decision-making in newly qualified practitioners. This is true for all newly qualified health professionals, including newly qualified paramedics (NQPs).

The present study sought to highlight the experiences of NQPs as they advance over the ‘flaky bridge’ and record their emotions while going through the transition. The researchers employed a mixed-methods convergent study design that collected both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative element focused on self-assessed resilience using the 25-point CD-RISC 25 questionnaire, while qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used, meaning that the theories are constructed by the researchers from the data. A convenience sample of 18 NQPs taking up their first paramedic post were recruited from an NHS ambulance trust.