{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T23:39:51Z","timestamp":1790811591392,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784764800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Reality shock among junior nurses is a significant issue that reflects the gap between expectations and reality, potentially associated with their professional identity. However, the distribution of reality shock patterns across subgroups and its correlation with professional identity remain unclear.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To identify latent categories of reality shock among junior nurses using latent profile analysis, explore influencing factors of different profiles, and examine differences in professional identity across categories.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2025, enrolling 238 junior nurses ( \u2264 3 years of service) from a tertiary general hospital in Sichuan Province via convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, a reality shock scale, and a professional identity assessment scale. Latent profile analysis identified distinct reality shock categories; chi-square tests, independent-samples\n                      <jats:italic>t<\/jats:italic>\n                      -tests, and one-way ANOVA assessed demographic differences across categories; stratified linear regression determined the impact of reality shock on professional identity.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Two latent categories were identified: \u201clow reality shock\u201d (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 143, 60.1%) and \u201chigh reality shock\u201d (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 95, 39.9%). Employment type, average weekly overtime frequency, reasons for choosing nursing, and job satisfaction were associated factors of reality shock subtypes (\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.05). After controlling for demographic variables, high levels of reality shock are negatively associated with professional identity; passive career choice, low job satisfaction, and lack of education were also significant negative predictors.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Junior nurses' reality shock exhibits significant within-group heterogeneity, and high levels of reality shock are negatively associated with professional identity. Nursing managers and educators should prioritize identifying high-risk groups and promoting smooth role transition by optimizing workload management, strengthening professional identity education, and establishing a multidimensional support system.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1892812","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T11:10:20Z","timestamp":1784805020000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The impact of reality shock on professional identity among junior nurses: a latent profile analysis"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Xue","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gynecology, Deyang People'Hospital","place":["Deyang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xu Yan","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gynecology, Deyang People'Hospital","place":["Deyang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yi Wei","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gynecology, Deyang People'Hospital","place":["Deyang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ping","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gynecology, Deyang People'Hospital","place":["Deyang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fan","family":"Jiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases, Deyang People'Hospital","place":["Deyang, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","author":"McCarthy","year":"2020","journal-title":"State of the World's Nursing 2020: Investing in Education, Jobs, and Leadership. Geneva: World Health Organization."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1824","DOI":"10.1016\/s0140-","article-title":"Nurse staffing and education and hospital mortality in nine European countries: a retrospective observational study","volume":"383","author":"Aiken","year":"2014","journal-title":"Lancet."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1103","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-","article-title":"Transition shock: the initial stage of role adaptation for newlygraduated registered nurses","volume":"65","author":"Duchscher","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Adv Nurs."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105702","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2022.105702","article-title":"Role transition of newly graduated nurses from nursing students to registered nurses: a qualitative systematic review","volume":"121","author":"See","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nurse Educ Today."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3161","DOI":"10.1111\/jocn.17002","article-title":"Novice nurses' transition shock and professional identity: the chain mediating roles of self-efficacy and resilience","volume":"33","author":"Li","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Clin Nurs."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6849","DOI":"10.1111\/jocn.16778","article-title":"Retention of newly graduated registered nurses in the hospital setting: a systematic review","volume":"32","author":"V\u00e1zquez-Calatayud","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Clin Nurs."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"891","DOI":"10.1097\/00000446-197505000-00041","article-title":"Reality Shock: Why nurses leave nursing","volume":"75","author":"Kramer","year":"1975","journal-title":"AJN Am J Nurs."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e28507","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2024.e28507","article-title":"Exploring work readiness: a qualitative descriptive study of self-perceptions among new graduate nurses","volume":"10","author":"Yang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Heliyon."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"716","DOI":"10.1111\/jonm.13543","article-title":"The status and associated factors of junior nurses' transition shock: a cross-sectional study","volume":"30","author":"Wenxia","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Nurs Manag."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1758","DOI":"10.1002\/hsr2.1758","article-title":"Level and influencing factors of transition shock among new nurses in China: a multicenter cross-sectional study","volume":"6","author":"Yao","year":"2023","journal-title":"Health Sci Rep."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104891","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2021.104891","article-title":"Transition shock, preceptor support and nursing competency among newly graduated registered nurses: a cross-sectional study","volume":"102","author":"Chen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nurse Educ Today."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3097","DOI":"10.1111\/jocn.15234","article-title":"Contemporary nursing graduates' transition to practice: a critical review of transition models","volume":"29","author":"Graf","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Clin Nurs."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2585","DOI":"10.1111\/jonm.13418","article-title":"Effects of resilience, social support, and work environment on turnover intention in newly graduated nurses: the mediating role of transition shock","volume":"29","author":"Cao","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Nurs Manag."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103031","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nepr.2021.103031","article-title":"The Transition from Nursing Student to Practicing Nurse: An Integrative Review of Transition to Practice Programs","volume":"52","author":"Hampton","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nurse Educ Pract."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103554","DOI":"10.1016\/j.iccn.2023.103554","article-title":"Reality shock in newly graduated critical care nurses and its association with missed nursing care: the mediating role of caring ability","volume":"80","author":"Labrague","year":"2024","journal-title":"Intensive Crit Care Nurs."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.1097\/01.NEP.0000000000000667","article-title":"The Professional Identity in Nursing Initiative","volume":"41","author":"Brewington","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nurs Educ Perspect."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1016\/j.profnurs.2020.04.018","article-title":"A scoping review on the influencing factors and development process of professional identity among nursing students and nurses","volume":"37","author":"Mao","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Prof Nurs."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2373","DOI":"10.1111\/jocn.15777","article-title":"It was quite a shock: a qualitative study of the impact of organisational and personal factors on newly qualified nurses' experiences","volume":"30","author":"Ho","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Clin Nurs."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e70014","DOI":"10.1111\/wvn.70014","article-title":"The mediating effect of burnout and job satisfaction on the relationship between professional identity, occupational stress, and turnover intentions in the post-pandemic era","volume":"22","author":"Yulia","year":"2025","journal-title":"Worldviews Evid Based Nurs."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e36903","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000036903","article-title":"Professional identity, job satisfaction, and turnover intention among chinese novice nurses: a cross-sectional study","volume":"103","author":"Zhong","year":"2024","journal-title":"Medicine."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100024","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssmqr.2021.100024","article-title":"Professional identity transitions, violations and reconciliations among new nurses in low- and middle-income countries","volume":"1","author":"Mbuthia","year":"2021","journal-title":"SSM\u2014Q Res Health."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/nursrep15120437","article-title":"Growth and adaptation of newly graduated nurses based on Duchscher's stages of transition theory and transition shock model: a longitudinal quantitative study","author":"Cusack","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nurs Rep"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105780","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2023.105780","article-title":"The mediating effect of clinical teaching behavior on transition shock and career identity among new nurses: a cross-sectional study","volume":"125","author":"Su","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nurse Educ Today."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103445","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jvb.2020.103445","article-title":"Latent profile analysis: a review and \u201chow to\u201d guide of its application within vocational behavior research","volume":"120","author":"Spurk","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Vocat Behav."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"275","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-26633-6_12","article-title":"Mixture Models: Latent profile and latent class analysis","author":"Oberski","year":"2016","journal-title":"Modern Statistical Methods for Hci"},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7279","DOI":"10.1002\/nop2.1980","article-title":"Characterizing burnout and resilience among nurses: a latent profile analysis of emotional exhaustion, emotional thriving and emotional recovery","volume":"10","author":"Rink","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nurs Open."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph192316098","article-title":"A latent profile analysis of perma: associations with physical activity and psychological distress among Chinese nursing college students","author":"Qi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e70044","DOI":"10.1111\/inr.70044","article-title":"Relationship between professional quality of life and career success in nurses: a latent profile analysis","volume":"72","author":"Zhou","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int Nurs Rev."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4950","DOI":"10.1111\/jan.15056","article-title":"Development and psychometric testing of the reality shock scale for newly graduated nurses","volume":"77","author":"\u00c7iri\u015f Yildiz","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Adv Nurs."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.3870\/j.issn.1001-4152.2023.12.076","article-title":"Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing of the reality shock scale for newly graduated nurses","volume":"38","author":"Wu","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Nurs Sci."},{"key":"B31","article-title":"Professional Identity of Nurses and Its Relationship with Work Stressor and Burnout [D]","author":"Liu","year":"2009"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.3969\/j.issn.1008-9993.2011.03.006","article-title":"Development of professional identity scale for nurses","volume":"28","author":"Liu","year":"2011","journal-title":"Nurs J Chin PLA."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100390","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijnsa.2025.100390","article-title":"Turnover prevalence and the relationship between transition shock and turnover intention among new nurses: a meta-analysis","volume":"9","author":"Lay","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int J Nurs Stud Adv."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.34172\/jcs.2022.16","article-title":"Transitional challenges and role of preceptor among new nursing graduates","volume":"11","author":"Joseph","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Caring Sci."},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"894","DOI":"10.1177\/01939459231189789","article-title":"Nurses' challenges to developing interpersonal relationships during integrated care for complex patients","volume":"45","author":"Younas","year":"2023","journal-title":"West J Nurs Res."},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1186\/s12912-023-01300-1","article-title":"Success factors in adaptation of newly graduated nurses: a scoping review","volume":"22","author":"Baharum","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Nurs."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1070","DOI":"10.1111\/jonm.13033","article-title":"Transition shock and newly graduated nurses' job outcomes and select patient outcomes: a cross-sectional study","volume":"28","author":"Labrague","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Nurs Manag."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23779608241255876","DOI":"10.1177\/23779608241255876","article-title":"Motivations driving career choices: insights from a study among nursing students","volume":"10","author":"Ait Ali","year":"2024","journal-title":"SAGE Open Nurs."},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"416","DOI":"10.1177\/0193945921997925","article-title":"Transition to practice for new nurse graduates: barriers and mitigating strategies","volume":"44","author":"Reebals","year":"2022","journal-title":"West J Nurs Res."},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"451","DOI":"10.1111\/jonm.13164","article-title":"Transition shock and job satisfaction changes among newly graduated nurses in their first year of work: a prospective longitudinal study","volume":"29","author":"Kim","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Nurs Manag."},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jan.70326","article-title":"The effect of mentoring programmes on newly graduated nurses' retention and turnover: an umbrella review","author":"S\u00f6derg\u00e5rd","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Adv Nurs."},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104663","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nepr.2025.104663","article-title":"Managing the support needs of newly graduated nurses in professional practice environments: a scoping review","volume":"90","author":"du Toit","year":"2026","journal-title":"Nurse Educ Pract."},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"792","DOI":"10.1186\/s12912-025-03470-6","article-title":"Shift nurses' work quality and job satisfaction after implementing the Inha university hospital nursing Ai scheduling system (Ih-Nass)","volume":"24","author":"Kang","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Nurs."},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20221115","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph192215042","article-title":"Shift-work schedule intervention for extending restart breaks after consecutive night shifts: a non-randomized controlled cross-over study","volume":"19","author":"Kubo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"106938","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2025.106938","article-title":"Fostering professional identity development during and after undergraduate nursing education: a systematic review of intervention studies","volume":"158","author":"Vanuytrecht","year":"2026","journal-title":"Nurse Educ Today."},{"key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105145","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijnurstu.2025.105145","article-title":"Peer support strategies for newly qualified nurses: a systematic review","volume":"170","author":"Raqueno","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int J Nurs Stud."},{"key":"B47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e26207","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2024.e26207","article-title":"Transition shock, future time perspective, professional self-concept, and professional identity among nursing interns: a cross-sectional study","volume":"10","author":"Ding","year":"2024","journal-title":"Heliyon."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1892812\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T11:10:25Z","timestamp":1784805025000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1892812\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]]},"references-count":47,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2026.1892812"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1892812","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]]},"article-number":"1892812"}}