Abstract: Objective: To explore the working experiences of non-anesthesia nurses transitioning to anesthesia nursing positions in tertiary general hospitals, so as to provide a reference for formulating training strategies for transferred nurses. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological method was used in this study. Eleven tertiary general hospitals in Jiangsu province were selected from June to October 2024 by convenience sampling, and 15 transferred nurses from these hospitals were recruited by purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and the interview data were analyzed by Colaizzi 7-step method. Results: A total of 4 main themes including 10 subthemes were identified, namely adaptation challenges during the early stage of job transition, adaptation strategies for the transition, professional growth and self-actualization, and transition needs. Conclusion: The transition process of non-anesthesia nursing positions to anesthesia nursing positions involves numerous challenges. It is suggested that healthcare institutions should understand the needs of transferred nurses, promote positive transition adaptation strategies, and support their professional growth and self-actualization to meet the rapidly growing talent demands in the specialized field of anesthesia nursing.

Key words: anesthesia nursing; job transition; working experience; qualitative study