Editorial: Random acts of guidance: personal reflections on professional generosity

摘要

Nursing is continuing to experience workforce shortages that are attributed to difficulties both in recruitment of people into nursing, and retaining nurses in the workforce (Watson 2005). In scrutinising these problems, considerable research and scholarship has focussed on the nature of the nursing workplace. There is general agreement that nurses may at times experience the workplace as pressured, stressful and difficult (Hegney et at. 2006). As a result, a body of literature about supporting and nurturing nurses has been generated (see e.g. Kelly et al. 2002, Byrne 2007, Rattray & Taylor 2007) and we frequently contemplate ways nurses can be provided with continuing professional support and guidance, particularly early in their careers.