Role Socialization 3 Section I - Summary of Kramer’s Postgraduate Resocialization Model in Nursing

Contemporary using practice entails cyclical events of socialization and resocialization. Socialization is the concept by which individuals acquire knowledge, skills, and attitude that support functionality in society. Dimitriadou, et al., (2013) asserts that the process of socialization exerts a working understanding, internalizes working philosophy, the skills, knowledge, attitude, and value espoused in the nursing practice. As such socialization helps create an identity as a nurse. Socialization in nursing practice occurs in several institutional contexts including both the academic institution and hospital/health institutions (Dimitriadou, et al., 2013). Professional socialization entails experience in multiple types of care setting, case study discussions, reflective journaling, post-conference debriefing, and service activities.

Kramer (1974) provides a theoretical construct of resocialization of nurses that models the transition of nurses from the academic setting to practice setting. Kramer developed the “Reality Shock” theory that elucidates the incongruence between the nursing workplace practice and the values instilled by the university as nursing students pursue Bachelor of Nursing (BSN). The “reality shock” theory is conceptualized on the argument that there exist discrepancies in core values of realistic version of nursing practice and theoretical academic courses of nursing practice. According to Kramer, as nurses transition to practice, they are confronted by unexpected intellectual, social, emotional, cultural and physical shock as they...

The reality shock theory has over the years evolved conceptualized to transition shock.
Kramer (1974) identifies three cyclical phases that provide a framework of nurse socialization: honeymoon, reality shock, recovery/conflict resolution. The “honeymoon” phase is linked to the focus of skill building, excitement and exhilaration as the nurses enroll for practice. As such the novice practitioners portray positive outlook of application of their clinical knowledge irrespective of the mismatch between their academic orientation and reality in nursing practice. Given the incongruence, poor role satisfaction is experienced at the “honeymoon” phase setting the precedence for the “reality shock” phase. According to Kramer (1974), the reality shock phase is characterized by disorientation, outrage, and attrition by the New Graduate Nurses (NGN) as they phase rejection by the practice that is supposed to assimilate them. The disconnect between the theoretical knowledge and the actual practice yields frustration and fatigue to the NGN (Dimitriadou, et al., 2013). Ultimately, the NGN develop a realistic perspective of the nursing practice and a sense of balance, which is the third phase of recovery/conflict resolution. The three phases are characterized by change in role satisfaction with the second phase having the least role satisfaction feeling

Kramer (1974) models four stages of postgraduate resocialization; skill and routine mastery, social integration, moral outrage, and conflict resolution. During the skill and routine and mastery stage, the NGN focuses on building his/her ability to perform techniques and…