This study may be of interest to nurse educators who have wondered but were afraid to ask, “Do our graduates use research to inform their practice?” The findings of this study would be of particular interest to nurses in Sweden, as the nursing graduates in Sweden were the focus group for this national longitudinal study.

The authors relate the research practice gap to the concept of ‘reality shock’ and ‘transition shock’, illustrating the disconnect between nursing education and clinical practice. Their review of literature addresses problems which the new nurses encounter when they attempt to use research in practice, their attitudes towards research and the organisational challenges they face …