Developing effective transition programmes for first-line nurse managers: A scoping review of evidence, barriers, and best practices.

Aim: To identify the competencies required for effective leadership, examine strategies to foster these capabilities and evaluate the barriers, facilitators and outcomes associated with such programmes.

Background: The absence of comprehensive transition programmes for first-line nurse managers incorporating theoretical underpinnings, educational strategies and core leadership competencies represents a significant gap in nursing education. Furthermore, the lack of comparative analyses and systematic evaluations of programmes hinders identifying best practices to support leadership development.

Design: A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O'Malley framework.

Methods: Seven databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, TRIP and ProQuest were searched for studies published between 2012 and 2024. Data extraction, quality assessment and narrative synthesis followed the guidelines by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).

Results: Of 5324 articles, 31 met inclusion criteria: 19 quantitative studies (pre-post, cross-sectional, cohort and action research), 7 qualitative studies, 1 mixed-method study, 3 narrative reviews and 1 systematic review. Transition programmes often focus on developing leadership competencies through structured training, including didactic sessions, experiential learning and reflective practices. Programmes ranged from two days to 12 months, with content guided by theoretical frameworks. Facilitators and barriers of implementation included organisational factors, mentoring and workload management.

Conclusions: The successful implementation of transition programmes requires a structured, theory-guided approach tailored to first-line nurse managers' needs. These findings may provide a basis for designing context-specific educational interventions aimed at supporting leadership competencies, enhancing organisational performance and contributing to healthcare system sustainability.