Transition mechanism of student nurses from legitimate peripheral participation to full participation: a grounded theory study
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism underlying the transition of nursing undergraduate interns from "peripheral participation" to "full participation" and to construct a theoretical model.MethodsUsing procedural grounded theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 student nurses. Nvivo 15.0 software was used for three⁃level coding of data from the first 13 participants,followed by a theoretical saturation test performed by two researchers.ResultsOpen coding yielded 101 initial concepts and 21 categories.Axial coding synthesized 7 main categories,covering initial peripheral participation status,multidimensional characteristics of full participation,transitional value,spatiotemporal context,driving factors,inhibiting factors,and individual coping strategies.Selective coding identified the core category as "self⁃construction of professional identity".ConclusionsThe proposed transition mechanism model indicates that student nurses' participation transition occurs within a community of practice and represents a dynamic,non⁃linear,and multi⁃factor interactive socialization process.Clinical educators should build supportive environments,create success experiences through structural empowerment and graded task design,and systematically guide structured reflection,so as to facilitate interns' subjective construction and professional socialization.